Odds and Ends
by DoctorRobbinsTorres
Summary: Callie and Arizona have always had a dynamic story. This is a collection of one-shots prompted by readers. Some AU, some smut, angst, humor, and all of thee above.
1. That's Got To Stop

**Prompt: "The barista at the coffee cart is determined (and a bit obsessed with) to make Callie notice her. Little does she know Arizona sees all."**

There's quite a line behind Callie at the coffee cart outside the hospital. There's always caffeinated mud in the hospital but no one wants to go for that. Everyone impatiently huffs and sighs as Dr. Torres takes her sweet time deciding what she wants.

"Okay! I need an extra large caramel macchiato with two shots of espresso and a pumpkin scone."

Everyone smiles in relief that she's done until...

"Oh wait! Not pumpkin... Let me see." She has to restart the search because Arizona simply hates pumpkin anything!

The model-esque barista behind the counter takes this opportunity to finally say something charming to his favorite surgeon.

"If you don't mind maybe I can recommend something."

Kind of lost in her own thought Callie mumbles a 'yes' and keeps browsing the case full of pastries.

"I find that the prettiest women love raspberry scones. So... Maybe you'll enjoy them too." Callie's head shot up once his words actually registered. Was he coming on to her? Did all the hospital drama really not make it out the doors? Surely he knew she was married. To a woman. With a kid!

"Ummm... Okay. Let me get one of those," she says with a laugh. In a few moments she was served and rung up and on her way. Unfortunately, the barista mistook her laughing at him as girlish joy. He was seriously overestimating his skills, and assumed he had an actual chance.

Xxx

The next day Callie was back but someone else was at the register. It was with embarrassing zeal that the normal guy pushed the cashier out the way.

"Hey there Dr..." he looked down to read the name tag on Callie's lab coat. "Dr. Torres. How was your scone," he asked with a big smile. Again Callie politely laughed off his advances and ordered her usual. Though she was busy on her phone the barista did his darnedest to flirt some more.

"Your hair looks great today. You look great today," he stammered on. All he got in return was a spiked brow and an unimpressed glance from the Latina.

"I'm Brad by the way."

For the sake of not crushing his dreams Callie put her phone away and feigned a smile. "Thank you Brad," she said as she took her coffee. Once she walked away he shouted goodbye to her back and practically fell over the counter trying to follow her hips with his eyes.

Xxx

The following day Brad had a plan. Dr. Torres's usual was waiting when she got there and so was a finely picked rose. When she arrived he handed her both.

"There's imported French vanilla creme in there today. It's on me though, no extra charge." Callie quirked her head to the side and eyed the young guy curiously. He was really laying it on thick. She released a heavy breath in preparation for the let down.

"Look Brad... You're a super sweet guy, but I'm married. Okay?" Callie tried to look sympathetic but she still had the urge to chuckle.

Brad furled his brow for a sec. He thought about it briefly and then came to a conclusion: he didn't care.

"Well who's your husband? I'll get rid of him," he said half-jokingly.

Now Callie couldn't stop herself from doubling over with laughter. The image she got was pure comedy. Arizona as her husband, and poor Brad trying to go toe-to-toe with her army brat wife- just comical! Callie placed a hand on her chest because she was laughing so hard it hurt. "Do us both a favor and let it go, Brad."

The coffee cart employee nodded pitifully and Callie headed back to work. Still, his resolve was not yet broken.

Xxx

"_Brad_?" Callie looked more confused than ever as she noticed the barista walking towards her _inside_ the hospital. He approached with her morning drink and a dozen roses this time.

Callie's head shot back and forth as she scoped her surroundings. She was nervous that his presence might cause a scene.

"Are you loco or just plain dumb," the Latina sasses as she grabbed the drink and left the flowers.

"Mad about you."

"What the? Okay… come here," she demanded as she yanked him into a conference room. Quickly she locked the door and shut the blinds. "This isn't healthy, okay Brad!?" In his silence Callie shot a fiercely raised brow his way to encourage his compliance.

"I just think you underestimate me, that's all. I'm more than the guy at the coffee cart you know. I'm training to be a midwife." Brad had taken on a solemn look of defeat.

Great. Now he was dropping the self-pity bomb. The surgeon hung her head in distress. After a heavy sigh she looked back up at the embarrassed guy and tried to impart some wisdom.

"I'm sure you're a great guy Brad, but when a girl says no, that means NO."

The young man just nodded timidly, as per usual. With nothing more to say, Callie sent him on his way with a smile and a firm pat on the back.

As Brad stepped out the room and took a few steps down the hall, a blonde-haired woman stepped up beside him and matched his pace. She gave him a dimpled smile and offered her hand.

"Dr. Arizona Robbins. And you are," she asked once he accepted the shake.

"Bradley Seinfeld..." he replied slowly and quizzically. He decided just then that coming in the hospital was a serious mistake.

"I hear you have a thing for Dr. Torres," Arizona proposed cheerily. Her innocent half-smirk got Brad to smile and admit to the charges.

"She's pretty awesome, I know," she added as they continued the stroll.

"Oh. Are you friends with her and her husband?" Brad asked. He thought maybe a close pal like Arizona could extend a lofty recommendation on his behalf.

"Ha... No. I'm her wife," she giggled. She looked up at the man and those blue eyes were seeing right thru Brad; or at least that's how he felt. All of the sudden he was visibly sick.

"I know, I know. She's gorgeous and funny and hot." Arizona leaned in and spoke out the corner of her mouth to be discrete, "I mean _really_ _hot_."

The barista opened his mouth to explain but had little luck. "I uh... I didn't know... Well I knew but... I didn't mean any-"

Arizona stopped him with a firm hand on his chest just above his nametag. They stopped walking just outside the doors and the surgeon stepped in front of him. There was an extra bit of swagger in every move.

"Here's how this goes Brad. Flirting's no big deal. Flirt away... No offense, but I'm not really worried seeing as how you're not a lady."

Brad just listened nervously with fearful doe eyes. Happy with his attentiveness Arizona continued.

"_But_! The flowers, the fancy coffee, the stalking- No no no no. That..." she fixed him with a serious glare, "...has got to stop. Because seriously I have a very short temper and easy access to a weapon; my leg's heavy and detachable."

Brad was beyond dumbfounded with the woman's threat. He stood there stiff as board with sweat pooling in unpleasant places. He didn't know if he should run, or hide, or disintegrate. Arizona decided for him…

"Well if we understand each other, you have a nice day Bradley." Without waiting for his response Arizona patted his chest reassuringly and walked off, all the swagger still intact.

The next week Brad got a new job.


	2. I'm Sorry

**Prompt: "Callie goes to Mark's apartment after American Bake-Off. She takes Sofia's baby monitor with her. Sofia wakes up in the middle of the night and Callie prepares to go to her when she hears Arizona entering her room… so she sits and listens instead… (I like angst/drama+romance but with happy endings.. ;) )"**

Callie sat with her head braced on her fist. Every once in a while she glanced over at Arizona to see if she might know what her wife was thinking. Every time Zo's face was as neutral as before. There wasn't the resentful glare as usual, but still she was missing that perky glow Callie fell in love with. It was depressing to live with someone who used to be the love of her life. Arizona was not herself yet Callie was waiting… holding on to her physical presence hoping to get her love back one day.

Her deep thought caused her glance to linger too long and Arizona caught her looking.

"What," she snapped, unwilling to except Callie's pity in any way. "You didn't have to stay. If you just want to stare, you can leave."

And there it was. That anger came bubbling up like destructive lava, burning through the little bit of hope Callie had when she was invited to stay. She rolled her eyes and huffed with frustration. She hadn't done anything but try to save her marriage and here Arizona was, yelling at her again.

"Fine! I'm going..." she got up and trumped towards the door. With the knob in her hand she was going to leave, but stopped in her tracks. She didn't get it. How could her gaze, loving and concerned, be so off-putting to the woman who was supposed to love her most?

"...I miss you. Do you hear me Arizona? _I miss you_ and _us_ and our family. What we're doing now is... is nothing. This whole house is empty and it's killing me!"

Arizona bit her lip in efforts to stay calm. She knew all the truths and wasn't interested in recanting all her wrong-doings. She had left the hospital ready to move on, but suddenly she felt more morbid than ever before.

"I know that! You think I like being so broken. I'm some raging bitch Callie. This mangled version of myself and I... _hate_ _it_." Her voice broke from all the emotions she constantly suppressed. The guilt, the remorse, the sorrow. "I hate myself," she finished in a whisper.

Callie turned back toward the couch and watched as silent tears rolled down her wife's hardened features. "We can be happy again Arizona. Sofia misses you so much. She never sleeps and it's because she can't find her momma. We _have_ to try and be happy for our little girl." Callie stepped forward, hoping the blonde was going to soften, and listen, and embrace her maybe.  
Instead the blonde whipped her head around and shot a vicious look at Callie.

"Don't tell me how much Sofia misses me. You think I have to be reminded that I'm the only one that can get her to sleep. I'm supposed to be there for her but I can't be. I can't do _anything_! You don't need to remind me." her words were dripping with venom and disgust. Her daughter was her whole world and not being there for Sofia sent Arizona into a manic fury.

The night was clearly headed downhill. Callie clenched her fists and clamped her jaw shut. She was not going to retaliate because she was still being the bad guy, accepting that role so that her wife might one day become her old self again.

"You know what... Just… good night. I have the baby monitor and work at 6. Me and Sofia will be gone by the time you're up. So yeah..." Callie let her hands fall and smack against her sides. She was giving up for the night. There was no winning this one.

As the door slammed shut Arizona flinched at the loud crash. The sound reverberated through her body, pounding out the misplaced anger she was harboring in that moment. She was unimaginably conflicted. How could she want to do one thing, but end up doing something else… something worse?

Xxx

Sofia's soft cry is enough to wake Callie from her shallow slumber in Mark's bed. Never will she have a good night's sleep in his place, but she and Arizona aren't there yet, at a point where they can sleep together. She had lost hope too, because tonight was the first time in a long time they spent time together without Arizona being angry… and even that was a fleeting experience. One episode of American Bakeoff wasn't enough to get them back in the same room, especially not the way it ended.

Since her girl wasn't too fussy Callie tried to see if the baby would put herself back to sleep. After about 10 minutes however, she gave up on that and dragged herself out of the bed. She was walking to get her robe when she heard something else on the monitor.

"Arizona," she whispered out loud into the darkness of Mark's room. She thought maybe she mistook some static for the sound of her wife's movement.

"Shhh," she heard someone whisper over the monitor. It had to be Arizona. There was some rustling that Callie couldn't identify but assumed is was her wife trying to maneuver on her own.

XXX

Arizona wheeled her chair into the nursery and tried to talk Sofia back to sleep, but she knew all too well what the pitchy whining meant- she just wanted to be held. All Sofia needed was for her momma to scoop her up and hold her.

It took all of the blonde's will not to cry right along with Sofia, but she knew it would only wake Callie. Instead she furled her brow and looked around the room thoughtfully.

Somehow she was going to get her girl.

She went about dragging the rocking chair over by the crib and practically wore herself out doing that alone. Still, she grabbed onto the bars of the crib and pulled herself up onto her only leg. She ignored how her muscles trembled with exhaustion and leaned over the railing to lift Sofia out. As soon as she had her, she turned a bit and let her weight fall into the rocking chair. There was really no way of her standing back up with the baby in her arms, but she didn't really care.

XXX

Callie sat as still as possible so she didn't make any competing noise. She was sure after a few minutes that Arizona was trying to get Sofia. Initially she considered going to help but figured it would only lead to an angry wife and a fussier baby.

Nervously she sat listening, hoping against hope that nothing went wrong, that Arizona wouldn't fall. She let out a sigh of relief as she heard her drop into the creaky, wooden rocking chair in the nursery.

xxx

"Hey sweet girl," Arizona sighed into Sofia's beautiful black hair. "Hi… momma missed you. I missed you so, so much." Already Sofia's eyes drooped with fatigue, her mind infinitely calmer whilst in her momma's arms.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you. I didn't mean to baby. I was just-just…so _angry_ and _scared_. I'm a little messed up." Arizona's tears fell unashamedly as she spoke softly to her daughter. It was freeing for her to finally confess to someone, and even better for it to be the little girl who'd stolen her heart.

"I love you Sofia. I love you, I love you, I love you. Okay? You hear me sweet girl? _I love you_. And I promise to never leave you again."

Sof's gentle snores brought a smile to Arizona's face but only spurred her tears on further. As she gazed down at her precious girl curled up in her arms, she remembered why she was so in love with Sofia in the first place- _Calliope_.

"I did something bad today Sof. I yelled at mami for…well I don't even know why. And she loves me so much, I know, but I just feel so angry sometimes. But… that's no excuse, I know baby." She let her head fall back against the chair and stared into the night's stillness. She felt terribly lonely in that moment. She knew she had pushed her wife away and feared she might have pushed too far.

"I miss your mami. I guess I... I left you both…"

xxx

Hearing all of this was simply overwhelming for Callie. She couldn't sort out her emotions as she listened attentively. Every word was like the apology she'd been waiting for, except Arizona wasn't telling her, she was telling Sofia. Was that fair? Didn't Callie deserve to have her wife back as much as Sofia deserved her mom?

Xxx

Arizona feels sleep taking her away as she rocks in the old chair that used to be her mom's when her and Tim were little. The silence was sickening almost. Every time her mind fell into a dream the loneliness yanked her back to reality.

She sighed solemnly. Surely sleep wouldn't come tonight.

She propped her foot onto her wheel chair and sunk into her seat. Leaned back far enough Sofia could practically lay on her chest without being held. The little girl was deep into her resting unconsciousness, happily nestled against Arizona's body. Soon her snores weren't enough to keep her momma from going crazy in the silence. Instead she kept on talking to the sleeping baby.

"What should I say Sof? Huh sweet girl? Should I tell the truth? That I blamed her. It wasn't mami's fault but I blamed her. Then I hated everyone, especially myself, because I thought… well you don't need to hear that. Do you boo?" She sighed into the darkness and thought some more before continuing.

"I'll skip that maybe… I'll get right to it. I'll say 'Calliope Torres, I am very undeserving of you, and your heart. I vowed to love you unconditionally then turned my back in a time of need. But I'm willing to admit to that and say sorry. Sorry for hurting you, and leaving you, and breaking all _my promises too'._"

Sofia shifted a little and wrapped her tiny fist around Arizona's shirt. "You think that's good Sof? I think that's good…"

"I think it's perfect," Callie suggested from the doorway. Arizona was surprisingly unfazed by her presence. Maybe because before, this had been their routine with Sofia- Arizona arriving first, then Callie.

"_You don't have to remind me_. I know you love me Arizona." The very words the blonde had used earlier were twisted into an expression of love and loyalty. It tore her apart to feel so guilty about hurting her wife.

"But you should _feel_ it too," Arizona said, barely able to keep her composure. Her walls came crumbling down as she stopped fighting it. She let her guard fall for good. "I want you feel loved, Calliope. Be… because you're my… my heart. And I can't stand to keep hurting you."

Callie rushed over as tears turned to heavy sobs. She leaned down and kissed Arizona without thinking. She kissed her until her tears stopped and her breathing calmed. She kissed her until Arizona kissed her back. As she tilted away to speak she closed her eyes. She had missed those lips.

"I don't care where you've been. I don't care that you left, and blamed me, and everything else. I don't care! All I care about is getting you back. I want you back."

Arizona placed a hand on Callie's cheek and guided her into another quick kiss. "I'm here. I promise I'm right here." They couldn't disconnect if they wanted to at this point. "I love you, Calliope. Please believe me."

Their lips grazed by each other lightly, familiarizing themselves again.

"I know, Arizona. I feel you, I know you're here. I love you too."


	3. Reminders

**Vague prompt (set pre-africa): hurricane, separation, post-its.**

Callie jogged through the halls of SGMW with all the IV bags she could carry. Just before she reached the elevator another bolt of lightening ripped through the sky and the thunder that accompanied it rattled the whole building. With a look of nervous fear she opted for the stairs.

Up in the pit patients were flowing in as if the hurricane wasn't right upon them. In all actuality it was the storm that was creating all the problems. People were getting thrown around by the deadly winds, and bones were breaking all over the place. The scene was truly chaotic and every doctor was feeling the stress. No attending had their hands empty, especially the greatly needed Dr. Torres.

When Callie got back to the ER Mark was the first to catch her. "Torres! I got a guy with maxillofacial skeletal damage. Two fractures in the mandible and a hairline straight down the zygomatic bridge." Despite it being a shitty situation for the patient, Callie's eyes lit up. This was a cool case even in a hurricane. She was about to grab the chart and take over when her personal cell phone started ringing.

She sighed with disappointment before trudging out of the ER to answer somewhere less noisy.

"Torres," she declared gruffly. Her mood softened some upon hearing Arizona's panicked response.

"C-Callie... I'm at home and I think the storm is getting close. I-I think the whole block lost power and I'm scared. Like really scared."

Callie didn't even know Arizona had gone back to their place. She knew the blonde had been hell-bent on getting all her stuff unpacked, but hadn't told Callie she was working on moving in that night.

"Hey it's okay. I'll be right there in-" **BOOM**!

Another deafening crack of thunder shook the entire city.

"_Okayyyy_. Well I'll be on the line until the lights come back. Just keep talking to me," Callie said calmly. She would have to settle for verbal support.

"You don't have to be somewhere," Arizona asked timidly. She felt like a big baby being so freaked about the storm. She had spent most of her life between the Midwest and Southwest, where hurricanes were never a problem, so this whole thing scared the shit out of her.

"There is no where else more important Arizona. Just pretend that I'm there okay?" The unsettled peds surgeon took deep breaths to regain her composure. Slowly her heart rate came down as she listened to the sound of Callie's voice.

xxx

"Callie?"

There had been some silence but the brunette was still on the line half an hour later.

"I really miss you. I wish you were here in _our_ place with me."

Callie smiled into the phone, wishing the exact same thing. Then an idea came to her.

"If I told you something super dorky about myself would that make you feel better?"

"_Wellll_..." Arizona playfully pondered the proposition. "It'd still be an impending storm but I'm sure I'll get a laugh out of it."

Callie paused to reconsider but decided to just bite the bullet.

"If you go in that drawer on my side of the bed, the one I guard with my life... I have this... Um, box thing. Go grab it." Arizona hurried to the bedroom and dug through the forbidden drawer until she found it. She sat on the bed and put the phone on speaker so she could use her flashlight to see.

"Okay I got it," she said. With the utmost delicacy she lifted the top and pulled out a full stack of jumbled post-its. "Uh... What is this Calliope?"

Callie never answered. Instead she let her girlfriend figure it out. One by one, Arizona unfolded the tiny papers and read each one out loud.

"Reminder: Don't mess this up Torres."

"Reminder: She's beautiful and deserves the best."

"Reminder: You deserve someone as amazing as her."

"Reminder: Kiss her. Tell her you love her."

"Reminder: Never stop trying to be a better girlfriend because she won't."

"Reminder: She loves you too."

And Arizona went on and on. By the bottom of the stack her eyes were full of tears. Callie could hear how the blonde's voice cracked each time she started a new one.

"Are these... Are these about me Calliope?"

Feeling less dorky than before Callie admitted, "every single one. I write them because sometimes I forget how to be happy and just love the person that loves me. But with you I never want to forget... so I write it down."

All the right words didn't seem good enough for this moment. If ever Arizona questioned how committed Callie was, tonight, that all ended.

"You're amazing," she said lovingly, to the woman that held her heart.

They spent the rest of the night more or less listening to each other breathe. Somehow they didn't feel so far apart anymore. Callie ignored her pager entirely, remaining connected until Arizona fell asleep. She even waited a while after that, listening to those adorably soft snores. This was certainly a love that she'd never stop reminding herself to keep.


	4. Show and Tell

**Prompt (via calzonastories): want to see Sophia take her mother to show and tell to show off her cool leg**

Sofia's giggles fill the brisk air during her walk home from school with her moms. Callie and Arizona each have a hand and every few steps they swing Sofia into the air until her tiny feet meet the ground again.

"So what did you learn in school today munchkin," Arizona asks. After laughing at another swing Sof declares that Friday is 'show and tell'. Callie gives a big gasp to show her motherly excitement and asks what Sofia wants to take to school.

The little girl takes a moment, her eyebrows furled in thought just like Callie's do sometimes. When she heard gentle cooing from the baby nestled in the carrier on her momma's chest, she got an idea.

"Can I take Brooke," she asked with a big smile. Her baby sister was certainly the most fascinating thing in her life and she loved to show her off. Arizona looked down at the golden haired infant and smiled at the one dimple that popped when she yawned.

"No no, sweetie. Ms. Brooke is too little to be in a 1st grade classroom full of big kid germs."

"But, but, I… I'm her big sister," Sofia whined.

"Hey, no whining mija. That's not what big girls do," Callie instructed, giving the girl's hand a tug. "Brooke's too little. You'll have to find something else."

Sofia just nodded and went on frowning ardently the rest of the way home. She was silent as they ate dinner and was visibly upset all night. Wanting to cheer Sofia up Arizona invited her to read a story to Brooke while she drank her bottle.

Sofia was never one to turn down a sisterly duty so she ran to get a book and headed towards the couch. With her first smile of the evening she climbed onto it with some help from momma. She stood patiently in her PJs and socks while Arizona got the baby situated.

"_Oh_ _kay_! Now you big girl," Arizona said. She pulled Sofia over to sit on her thigh so both girls had her attention. The oldest plopped down and swung her feet around her momma's prosthetic, happy to be needed. She made it through a whole chapter of _Charlotte's Web_ before Brooke was done eating. Soon after, the tired infant drifted to sleep and Sofia called it quits too.

"You ready for bed Sof?" Arizona noticed the heavy eyelids her oldest was sporting. Sensing an impending struggle she opted to hook an arm under Sofia's and carry _both_ girls to bed.

In a sleepy haze, the tiny Latina rested her head on her momma's shoulder as she was whisked away to bed. While she peered past the golden locks flowing down Arizona's back, she took note of how different the two legs were as they moved in and out of sight.

"Hey… momma," she questions through a yawn.

"Yeah sweetie…"

"Can I take you to show and tell?"

Arizona pauses at Brooke's crib and raises a perplexed brow that Sofia thankfully can't see. "Why would you take _me_ to show and tell," she replies as she lays her youngest down. Sofia musters enough energy to sit up on her momma's hip and leans back to explain.

"Cuz your leg. I bet no one else's momma has a robot leg." To this Arizona smiles- dimples and all. There's something amazingly endearing about Sofia taking pride in her prosthetic. 4 years ago she could hardly stand the idea of it, didn't know if her life would ever be the same, wished to have died instead of needing one. But her baby girl had no qualms about it. Arizona was her momma _no matter what_.

She ran her hand over Sofia's soft hair and kissed her forehead gently. "Sure thing munchkin. Momma'll be your show and tell."

Having almost no energy left, Sofia threw her arms around Arizona's neck in an exhausted flop. Her huge smile pressed against the crook of the blonde's neck until sleep took it away. She was lights-out before they even made it to her room.

XXX

"Okay, Sofia Torres. Why don't you tell the class what you brought in for show and tell." Sofia glanced between her teacher and momma, giddy as could be. Her smile beamed brighter than ever as she wrapped her hands around Arizona's waist.

"This… is my momma. _Anddd_…" she let go to raise up a leg of Arizona's yoga pants. "This is her _bionic_ prosthetic leg!"

The class erupted with childish excitement and buzzed with curiosity and wonder. The kids we chattering away, everyone craning to see. Still, all Arizona saw was her little girl looking up at her with that smile practically identical to Calliope's. She had never felt so sure that that damn leg was a blessing in deed.


	5. The First Time

**Prompt: "Callie/Arizona post 9x04 they kiss for the first time since the accident and it slowly shifts to second base. And put some tongues in there okay :) xx"**

Make no mistake, things are not marital bliss yet. One night in front of the television was no magical elixir that saved Callie's marriage.

But it was a start. More than a baby step but less than a leap. Callie felt victorious all the same as she awkwardly took that seat next to Arizona several weeks ago. They hadn't voluntarily spent time relaxing together since the night before Arizona left for Boise. After that it was all worried hospital stays, doctors visits, and cold emotionless nights with the broken soul that claimed Arizona's body.

Truly, the TV was a welcome change of pace, but far from the end. Callie wasn't letting her guard down until she knew she had her wife back, until she knew the darkness had dissipated, and her marriage was still alive. Only then was she going to let hope back in.

For now she was waiting in the kitchen because Arizona had insisted on getting ready herself. After about 30 nervous minutes the blonde emerged ready to go. She was out of breath and already exhausted but today was a big day.

"Are you sure you want me to come," Callie asked as her wife wheeled towards the door.

"Yes Calliope." Arizona grabbed her coat and threw it on. When she realized Callie hadn't moved towards the door she turned to see why. She still had trouble not snapping at every little thing, but she was trying to be patient. "Please, let's go."

Callie looked concerned about her wife's insistence. She didn't want Arizona pushing herself too much. They needed to take things slowly if they were going to get back to normal. "Okay, but if you change your mind just say so."

With that they left and headed to the very first physical therapy session that Arizona had invited Callie to join. When they arrived, the prosthesist was pleasantly surprised to see both woman stay.

"Good to have you here Dr. Torres."

"Um… No where I'd rather be." Callie chose her words cautiously. Not too excited, but not too bitter about having missed every other session.

From her position in the room she couldn't see the sad smile Arizona was wearing. The blonde realized more and more everyday that she'd been beating her wife down, and pushing her out, for all the wrong reasons. That's why she asked her to come today. It was about time she let Callie back in.

She mustered up a happier grin and turned to see her girl. Blue eyes connect with deep brown and it's clearer now, more than ever, that their love is still there. This depression, and anger, and remorse, has not robbed them of their timeless love. Just that one little look, said all that.

"Should be fun right," Arizona suggested lightly. Callie nodded, wearing a huge grin as she recognized the glint of her wife's perky personality.

One hour, a little sweat, and a lot of hard work later, Arizona was done with yet another session. This one was exceptional though. Having Calliope there made more of difference than she expected. But then again, she wasn't all that surprised. Callie had always brought out the best in her.

"Alright. Well, I'm going to go grab your training log, which I left… _somewhere_, and we can finish up for the day," Dr. Moore declared. When he left Callie and Arizona kind of hovered nervously, not sure what to do.

"Thanks for coming," Arizona said quietly not quite ready to look her wife in the eyes with her prosthetic on.

"I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else, Arizona." She was standing a few feet in front of the blonde while she balanced near the parallel bars. Arizona wasn't sure if it was the kindness in Callie's words, or the fact that she came, or that she hadn't left her all together… but something drove her to take a few unsteady steps forward.

At first Callie was nervous and readied her hands to catch Arizona, but she didn't need to. Her wife progressed on her own until she was only inches away. For a moment they just waited.

Waited for something to change, for the anger to return, for the world to fall apart…something.

Even after a minute of taking each other in, the feeling was the same. Arizona still wanted Callie there, the love was flooding back, and none of the rest of it mattered. Almost impulsively, Arizona's lips moved closer to Callie's until the space between them was barely there. And nothing had felt more perfect than when Callie closed the gap and took Arizona's lips with her own.

Something surges through them both but in seconds they're apart again. Cautiously they look into each other's eyes and wonder if this is real… or even okay. It's been so long that they question themselves for a moment, timidly testing the waters. Then Callie throws her inhibition to the wind and draws Arizona back in by the nape of her neck. When soft lips touch this time there's nothing hindering the fervor and desire between them.

Arizona inches forward and slips but Callie steadies her without missing a beat. She grabs hold of luscious raven hair in desperate need of more. Callie's hands fall to her waist and hold her tighter. The love and lust storming between them has been sorely missed.

It's more than a pleasant surprise when Arizona grazes her tongue past Callie's bottom lip, subtly requesting entrance. Happy to oblige Callie parts them and gives in to the moment. If life were what she wished, this would last forever. Slow, and compassionate, and a lot like the first time, this kiss is beyond words. And as their tongues continued with the familiar dance, they all but forgot where they where.

"So I've got- Oh my! Um…. I can go-come back lay-maybe… wow. I'm sorry," Dr. Moore stuttered when he barged back in. He tried to look away but somehow he kept looking up and saying nothing at all.

Arizona jumped back a little too fast and had to grab the banister to keep from falling. She probably should have been embarrassed but the satisfied smile she wore said otherwise. Callie stepped away too and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.

"Sooo… I'll get the car," she finally said once the silence got to be too much. In a flash she was out the doors and headed towards the parking lot.

"Mm kay," Arizona replied quickly, her words barely reaching Callie before she was gone. She was left blushing, just her and Moore. "Sorry about that."

"No problem, it happens… Actually, not really. But it's a nice change from the angry glares and hostility I get in here." The two doctors shared a tight laugh before the silence returned. Moore got the paper work done as soon as possible before sending Arizona on her way.

As she wheeled towards the exit she had this giddy feeling that had been missing for so long. The more she replayed the kiss in her mind, the stronger the feeling got. Suddenly it dawned on her that it was happiness. She was finally feeling _happy_.


	6. Very Inappropriate Doctor Torres

**just because you're so amazing here's another prompt to write at your leisure: spinal trauma, coffee, texts. Do with them what you will ;)**

There's a single drop of sweat rolling down Arizona's face. Her mind is more than focused in the tiny human on her table. Pediatric surgery is a challenge in the first place, every organ and every vessel 5 times smaller than an adult's. Add to that the need to operate around a tiny spinal cord, and you have a surgery most would call impossible.

'Most' does not include Arizona Robbins. After fighting the chief on it she finally got clearance for the surgery. Even nine hours into the procedure, removing shrapnel from a car victim's spine, Arizona still had the confidence she started with. So far the 7 year old had experienced a comatose seizure and some problems with a low bp, but all-in-all was doing exceptionally well. This was a pioneer surgery of sorts, so any success was a huge success.

Just as Arizona pulled a 3 inch shard of glass from the boy's spinal column the room filled with a cheery jingle from her cell. The nurse stationed by everyone's phones informed her it was her wife.

"Would you like me to read it Dr. Robbins?" Arizona answered 'yes' without a second thought. She was almost done and running on autopilot now.

"She says 'I have coffee in on-call 232'." Arizona's head shot up. If it weren't for her mask you'd be able to see her fiery red cheeks.

"Oh…um… just tell her I'm busy please. I-I'm in surgery," she stammered, shaking her head to erase the images.

A few minutes later the jingle returned and the nurse read it aloud without asking this time.

"Dr. Torres says she has a headache and the coffee's not helping."

Arizona choked on the lump in her throat. The medical team began staring at her curiously; she seemed a little unsettled all of the sudden. She squirmed subtly in her seat being the only one aware of Callie's innuendo.

"Tell my wife I can't talk right now."

_I seriously doubt you're focused anymore. I'm waiting so just let a resident close. Please?-_ was Callie's needy reply.

At this point Arizona's face was burning with embarrassment despite no one catching on to her wife's drift. She caved in to the naughty request and put a resident in charge of closing. On her way out she shed her gloves and snatched her phone off the tray.

_You're in big trouble when I find you Calliope-_ she typed with flustered fingers.

_Looking forward to it , I'm not really hiding…_

As Arizona read she could almost hear the husky tone of the Latina's voice. Though she was trying to be stern and angry, a sexy grin crept across her face in anticipation of finding her mischievous lover.

Xxx

"Callie?" Arizona peeked into the on-call and glanced around for her girl. She jumped when the door closed behind her, only to find Callie standing in front of it.

"Hey! You were being very, _very_ inappropriate Dr. Torres. I was wrist deep in some kids spine!" Arizona was trying to be angry but the lustful look in Callie's eyes was foiling her efforts.

"I'm _so_ sorry. Really, what can I do to make it up to you?" The brunette took slow, deliberate steps towards her wife until she was backing her towards the bed, hands firmly placed on her hips.

"Well you could start with a sorry, and... we'll just go from there," Arizona suggested slyly. Her wife's touch had demolished any efforts to stall their fun.

Callie pushed her down and wasted no time ripping her scrub top off. Accented by a trail of open-mouthed kisses up her abdomen she whispered, "I- am- so- so- sorry."

Arizona bit her lips to stifle the moan tickling the back of her throat. All the while nothing could be done to temper the arousal pooling between her legs. When Callie reached the bottom of her bra she skillfully undid it with one hand while the other pulled it off. She laid on top of Arizona, kissing her deeply, letting her tongue flick past a soft pink lip, jogging the blonde's memory of everything else that tongue could do.

The peds surgeon clumsily yanks at Callie's clothes trying to get them on the same page. With a little help they both wind up completely bare, clothes strewn across the floor carelessly.

Any other day the foreplay might have dragged on but Callie was on the prowl, and in no mood for anyone's teasing. Pushing the smaller woman back further onto the bed she let her mouth travel down towards Arizona's waist. When her lips reached Arizona's inner thigh the blonde let out a breathy gasp. The erotic noise and the heady aroma of her arousal only sent Callie's libido into a rage.

She pushed her tongue through the blonde's folds, twirled it around her clit, and firmly sucked the sensitive skin into her mouth. She could hear Arizona trying not to moan, feel her fingers grab at raven hair, and sense the yearning emanating from within. As her tongue worked she slid two delicious fingers deep inside, forcing out those groans Arizona had been holding.

"_Calliope_!"

Hearing her name urged her on. With a steady pace, Callie thrusts in and out, matching the movement with the tip of her tongue. All Arizona can do is grab at the brunette's hair, curl her toes, and buck her hips into Callie's mouth. Before long she's right there on the edge, and a curve of those wonderful digits sends her crashing down.

The Latina slows her pace and lets Arizona ride it out as long as possible. She smiles as little shivers run through Arizona's exhausted body.

"Forgive me?" she asks while curling up next to the blonde and pulling the sheet over them.

"Y-yeah. I forgive you." Arizona steals a chaste kiss before asking, "How's your headache?"

"Eh, it's okay," Callie says flatly. Then a devilish grin curls up in the corner of her mouth.

"Ooh! I can help with that."


	7. Wake Up

**Prompt: "Callie is having a nightmare and Arizona is there to calm her down"**

Sofia is crying. So loud and shrilling that it nauseates Callie to some extent. Her head is throbbing and she can't really figure out where she is and why she's not at home. She blinks her eyes open but it hurts. _Everything_ hurts, like she's been dropped off a cliff. Better yet, she hurts like she's been brutally beaten.

Unfortunately, as she opens her swollen eyes as much as possible, the reality becomes much worse. Lying in a pool of congealed and dried blood she can see the lacerations and protruding bone jutting from her arm. The feeling in her gut is most likely vast internal bleeding and a bad sign in deed. She's almost sure she was in some kind of accident.

Still Sofia is crying and the deafening hollers remind Callie of what she was doing. She was on a plane to Miami, headed home to see her dad and let Sof spend some time with abuelo. It was supposed to be a good weekend. Maybe her mom would even be there and act like a mother for once. Whatever was going to happen that weekend, or the next, or any other time, was something Callie didn't expect to experience now.

A few guttural coughs caused a stream of thick red fluid to flow from her lips. Even though her life seemed to be fading, her vision was clearing. The hazy blur was dissipating and she could make out flight chairs, luggage, and large shreds of metal. The smell of death was thick in the air despite Callie not seeing any bodies. There was no one around her, not even… Sofia.

_Sofia!_

She thought it loudly! When she first woke up she was so disoriented that it hadn't registered that it was _her_ baby screaming. Her sweet girl was on the flight and now she _wasn't_ crying anymore. _Oh God_! _What if she's dead-_ Callie considered briefly.

Instantly her body was overcome with debilitating sobs and tears. If Sofia was gone then what did her life matter? What was life without her daughter? How could she ever face Arizona after forcing a child on her, making her fall in love with one, then letting Sofia slip away?

Her will to live was fleeting until she heard her baby once more. It was a raspy whine unlike the loud noises from before. Callie tried to lift her head but it hurt _so bad_. It felt like her neck might have been sprained somehow, and still she mustered every ounce of strength and forced herself up with her good arm. She screamed out at the overwhelming pain but continued on- she had to get her girl.

It was with unimaginable agony that she dragged herself towards the barely-there whimpering. About 20 feet away she found the most gut-wrenching scene a mother could imagine. Sofia lay between shredded parts of a chair and maybe the beverage cart. Something somewhere was bleeding and her complexion had lost all color. Callie knew the pale pigment was a sign of low blood circulation. Sofia's crying had probably stopped once her tiny body went into shock.

With one functional arm and numerous unidentified injuries, the distressed mami tried to help in some way. She rubbed Sofia's little limbs and held her close for warmth. Her doctor mind had all but vanished as she sat hopelessly cradling a dying baby... _her_ dying baby. Inevitably there was nothing she could do to save her, the little bundle of joy that had made her entire life. Her whole soul ached with terrible sorrow as she watched the tiny life pass away. Callie sang softly in hopes that maybe it was peaceful. Maybe Sofia didn't feel the same excruciating pain her mami was succumbing to.

They waited alongside the ruble and debris with only Callie's melodic voice to be heard. After hours of desperate prayer there's a sickening realization that it's over… there's no life left in the tiny child. Briefly there's some denial and Callie rocks gently, pleading for her girl to wake up. When can beg no more there's a desolate darkness that comes over her.

Confused, stranded, and slowly dying along with her lifeless baby, Callie is defeated. Sadness turns to manic anger and hysteria. She screams in a primal way- something between a sob and a growl- because it's all her mind can manage.

xxx

"What's that momma," Sofia asks from the kitchen. Her and Arizona can hear something coming from the bedroom where Callie has been sleeping the morning away.

"Umm…" Arizona stalled a bit because the noise was oddly alarming. "I think mami's waking up." The little girl was excited but her momma soon realized what was going on- Callie was having another nightmare. Ever since Arizona's amputation she had them more nights than not.

"I'll go get her," Sofia sang before climbing from her seat and darting towards the room. Arizona tried to stop her but the 5 year old was too quick.

She jumped on the bed, not keen to the panicked expression Callie wore even as she slept. Her mami was still yelling but she really didn't think twice. Sofia just grabbed her face in both hands and said, "Despiertas te! Wake up mami. _Wake up_."

The older Latina just clinched her fist around the covers and cried out again. This time real tears streamed down her face and Sofia turned to ask her momma what was wrong with mami.

"Here Sof," Arizona said as she lifted her away. "Go grab what we need to make waffles. We'll be there soon sweetie."

Once Sofia had gone Arizona climbed on top of Calliope and straddled her hips. She cupped her face to stop her head from thrashing and gently urged her to wake up. "Calliope! Please Calliope wake up. It's okay honey. Nothing's wrong… just wake up _please_."

All at once Callie was ripped from her nightmare and woke with a heavy gasp. Her heart pounded in her chest as if it were going to burst. Brown eyes shot around the room trying to focus in on some bit of reality. The tears kept coming and the fear lingered on.

The only thing that eased Callie's fret was Arizona's touch. Both soft and strong, her hands kept the brunette grounded. "Shhh. You're fine. You're okay," she whispered.

"So-So-Sofia. Where's… where is she?" Callie pushed herself up and searched the room for her daughter.

"In the kitchen. She's right out there Calliope. Bur look at me… what happened?" Arizona let her gaze capture Callie's attention and tried to look reassuring. She took deep breaths that her wife mirrored until Callie could manage to speak.

"I was in the crash instead of you. And… S-s-Sofia…" The memory was almost as bad as the dream. Callie couldn't even finish.

"Okay, it's okay," Arizona said pulling her wife into a hug. She buried her face in raven locks and held on tight. "I'm here… right here. And you're right here, our baby's here, we're happy. So shh shh. I've got you."

The ortho surgeon let herself continue to weep softly on Arizona's chest until she felt safe again. When her breathing settled she looked up into blue eyes with uncertainty and embarrassment. "I just… I don't know Arizona. I don't know how you could have… I just love you _so much_."

"I know. You don't have to say it Calliope. You love me and Sofia more than anything and you're an amazing mother and wife. It was just a dream." Several more deep breaths allowed for a meek smile to turn up the corner of Callie's mouth.

She leaned over and pushed her lips into Arizona's. They shared a bruising kiss that helped in cementing the reality of the moment. The mutual love they felt let Callie know she was truly awake.

She pulled back with her eyes closed shut, the kiss having shocked her senses momentarily. "Thank you for waking me up."

Arizona moved back in so the tips of their noses touched lightly. "I'll always save you from the bad dreams Callie. I promise. We are going to be just fine." She kissed her wife again before sliding off the bed.

Arizona stood up and offered her hand. "Let's go see our girl," she said through a smile.

"_Yes please_," Callie sighed with relief, never so happy to reach out and hold Arizona's hand.


	8. Running Lates

**more crazy vague prompts: skype, doing the dishes, lost keys.**

Sofia skips into the kitchen with a silly grin on her face. She drags a bar stool over to the colorful board on the wall. Precariously she climbs up and sticks two stars next her name. She proudly totals her stickers to 6 before making her way down.

"Look mami! I got 6 Big Girl stickers now!"

"Oh wow mija. You only need 4 more to get a surprise," Callie explained to her little girl. Her 'proud mom' smile was impossible to suppress as she talked to her mini-me. Sofia seemed to get cuter and cuter ever day. And now that she was having fun doing her chores she qualified for world's best daughter, hands down.

"Then can I do another chore mami? Please!" The excitement in the tiny Latina's voice was simply adorable.

"You help me wash the dishes and when momma get's home you get your surprise… deal?"

"Yay," Sofia exclaimed, literally bouncing in her shiny pink shoes. Callie held out here arms for the little one to run into them. She swept her off her feet and sat her beside the kitchen sink.

"When's momma coming home?" Sofia asked as her mami rolled her tiny sleeves up.

"Tomorrow morning we'll go get her from the airport. You miss her, huh?" Sof just gave a pouty nod. Arizona had been gone at a Pediatric Surgical Summit all weekend and her little girl had hardly slept a wink.

"Well then let's make sure we have the kitchen nice and clean. O la casa va a apestar más que tú," Callie said as she tickled her girl, eliciting furious laughter.

"I don't stink mami," Sofia giggled in response. Her mami handed her a bottle of dish soap and let her pour it under the running water. The generous helping of detergent resulted in a mountain of bubbles that practically hid the whole kitchen counter. Somehow Sof wound up with a soaked shirt and most of the kitchen was wet as well.

"Sof, how did we manage to make such a mess?" Callie chuckled at the shrug she got in response. Just then her laptop started jingling and she dried her hands before answering the skype call coming in. She was pleased to see it was her wife.

"Hey momma. How'd your speech go today?" Arizona was up on the screen, in her hotel room ready for bed.

"It was great, because I'm awesome. But I miss my baby girl so, so much," Arizona said, very aware that Sofia was probably behind Callie.

"You do momma," the little asked giddily from her spot by the sink, leaning over so she could be seen.

"Wait, is that my sweet girl back there? Hi! Momma does miss you something terrible."

Callie grabbed the little one up and sat her in front the computer so she could talk Arizona. She covered every bit of the 3 days Arizona had missed and the blonde listened intently with a 'proud mom' smile of her own.

"Are you coming with mami to get me tomorrow?"

"Yup. And the house is clean and it don't stink," Sofia explained. Arizona laughed lightly before saying goodnight her girl and turning her attention to her wife.

"You know, I miss you too," she said with a sly smile.

"_Oh really_. Well you can show me just how much when you get here tomorrow." Callie wasn't ignorant to the husky tone of her wife's voice.

"I plan too Calliope… Don't be late okay? I hate the airport now days. I can't believe I actually made it on the freakin plane." There was a short silence as their minds flashed back to the plane that crashed, but quickly reverted to their happy present time. Callie promised to be punctual, they exchanged 'I love you's, and hung up.

Xxx

"Shit shit shit." Callie is running through the airport looking for arrivals long after her wife's flight landed. Sofia can hardly keep her eyes open so she's awkwardly perched on the Latina's hip. They had set an alarm but Callie hit snooze, and then Sof wouldn't get dressed (mostly because she was so tired after losing so much sleep that weekend), then the keys disappeared, and now they were _late_! Callie was regretting making that stupid promise. Really this was becoming a bad habit. She fully expected to find a furious Arizona waiting with her bags in serious state of anxiety.

In general they were past those dark days that followed the amputation but Arizona occasionally snapped when something triggered all those terrible emotions. Callie just knew this was going to be one of those days.

As she rounded a corner she caught sight of those golden locks and hurried over to explain. When Arizona whipped around her expression went from worried to immediate joy. _Well that's not what I expected_- Callie thought to herself.

"Awww momma's baby girl. You look so sleepy," she said lifting Sofia off her wife's hip. "I was worried," she added as she kissed both her girls.

"I'm so sorry babe. We got up late, and Sof is like a zombie. I lost the keys… Ugh we just had a rough morning," the ortho surgeon said with a huff. Though she had been seriously stressed, seeing her baby melt instantly into a deep sleep in her momma's arms while Arizona rocked her slowly was more than relaxing. Nothing beat moments like this.

"It's okay Calliope. Let's just go home. I'll get you both to bed."


	9. Shining Scrubs

**Prompt: Callie gets off work late and on her way back home she gets mugged. Arizona comfort after it happens. I'll leave injuries up to you. go!**

Callie and Mark strolled casually out of the hospital. Both had been at work since 6 that morning and desperately needed to be anywhere other than Seattle Grace. Callie casually clutched her purse with both hands while Mark had his shoved into his pockets. The conversation was small talk at best as they stuck to a snail's pace. Upon reaching the edge of the parking lot Mark took a step towards Joe's while Callie continued forward.

"Hey, where you going?" Her face immediately took on a look of sadness and confusion.

"I'm going to Joe's. I need a drink," Mark answered matter-of-factly. He rocked back and forth on his heels looking at the ground. "Did I tell you little Grey said she still loves me… right before Julia showed up?" He stilled his body and looked to Callie with something kin to fear in his eyes.

"She _what_? No, you didn't tell me." Callie's expression switched yet again to one of surprise. "Well what does this mean?" When Mark shook his head she knew what was happening. "Hmmm… you looking for the answer at the bottom of a tequila bottle?" The last of her question came out with a judgmental tone and was accompanied by a raised brow. Callie knew her friend all too well. He was never good with navigating his feelings for Lexie Grey. She always left him looking in the wrong places for the answers.

"No!" Mark does his best to seem sincere. "Well maybe," he admitted reluctantly. Callie kept right on shooting daggers at him with her slit glare. "_Fine_! I'm drinking my problems away. So what. I'm a _man_! If I want to drown my liver, so be it." He gave a stern nod to emphasize the finality of his conclusion.

"Okay, I'll be sure to tell that to Sofia when your organs start failing." Mark doesn't react well to that bit of sass and Callie softens her demeanor a bit. "Look, you have to walk me home. It's late and dark and the freaks come out at night." She glances around skeptically just in case said 'freaks' were nearby.

Mark steps closer and kisses Callie on the forehead. "You'll be fine. It's basically two blocks and there are streetlights everywhere. I really need a minute tonight," he explains. The brunette lets out a disappointed sigh and eyes her friend with concern. The walk home is super short and she's actually more worried about Mark than herself.

"You better be conscious for breakfast, Mark. Sofia doesn't like half-ass-hung-over-daddy. _Okay_?" The father laughs before heading off towards the bar, leaving Callie about 6 minutes from her door.

To get home from the hospital most days she walks all the way around the row of apartment complexes between her place and Seattle Grace. Going around means following a well lit path but increases the journey considerably. There's an alley half way down the row that allows for her to cut straight through to her street. It's dark and smelly and generally avoided. Tonight though, Callie is too tired and wants to be home sooner than later.

As the Latina rounds the corner into the alley she doesn't even notice the shadowy figure standing off to the side. Maybe it's because she's never heard of any crimes in her neighborhood, or maybe because she expects to be able to take care of herself. Whatever it was, _it_ had clouded her judgment as she embarked down the narrow passage in complete darkness.

When she was just passing the person they moved into her path stalling her progression home. "Hey pretty lady. That's a nice bag?" It's a man with dark clothes and a menacing twang in his voice. His sudden appearance startles Callie at first. She jumps back slightly and puts a vice grip on her purse. Still in shock she tries to simply walk pass.

"Where you going so soon," the man asks, shifting so the brunette was unable to go by once again.

"I don't want any problems," she asserted meekly, eyes trained to a spot on the ground behind the man. Her heart is pounding and little beads of sweat form in her nervous state. This does not seem real. Never would Callie have imagined winding up in a dark alley with the real chance of being mugged… or worse.

"Me neither pretty lady. I'll take that bag though," the man hissed. His raspy, vile voice sent a shiver down Callie's spine. Her fight-or-flight reflex seemingly kicked in because she pushed past him and began to march away. He reached out and grabbed her arm, affectively twisting it in a way that sent a wave of pain through her shoulder.

Reflexively Callie yanked away and yelled, "Get your hands _off of me_!" Even in the face of danger the Latina's fierce gumption shines through. It just isn't in her nature to back down. Never has been. Never will be…. Unfortunately.

Her reaction sends the man into a state of rage. He advances on her and grabs her face painfully tight in his hand. He shoves her into a brick wall, a move that knocks the air from Callie's lungs. Her badass instincts have shattered into nothing. She freezes in his grip, quivering from the idea of what might happen next.

"This ain't a game lady. Give me the fucking purse!" This time Callie slowly slips her bag from her shoulder and pushes it into his chest.

"Just take it and go," she pleads with a shaky voice. Somehow, even this subtle suggestion angers her aggressor more. A heavy hand comes crashing down against her mouth, almost sending her to the ground. After stumbling a few steps Callie hardly has time to register the pain before it happens again. This time she does hit the ground. Without thinking her eyes close unable to bare the pain in her face. She can still feel, and what she can only guess is a boot, connects with her ribs a few times. It doesn't take an orthopedic surgeon's knowledge to know right away a few have broken. She considers just balling up and taking the beating until the thug left. If she was lucky, maybe she'd leave with her life and a bad memory.

Just as the thought ran through her mind she could feel that he'd become strangely close, almost as if her were on top of her. Callie's eyes shot open as he pushed his rough hands against her throat, inhibiting her breathing almost entirely.

_No. This is not how I die. Not two minutes from my wife and baby, and certainly not is this fucking alley._ A new resolve comes over Callie even though she's clearly overpowered. She thrashed beneath him, her hands swinging at whatever she could reach. She even managed a strained, "get off of me!"

The man's rage didn't falter until one fist landed square in his eye. He fell back on his ass and grimaced in pain. More alert than ever Callie scurried away, frantically pushing herself in the other direction with her hands and feet, dragging herself over the concrete pavement.

Half coughing she just kept stammering, "get off me. G-get off… of me." She backed herself against the wall to hold her weight and prepared herself for whatever was coming next.

"You bitch," the man barked, holding his eye. He stumbled to his feet and lost his desire to engage the feisty Latina. He jogged down the alley and was gone as quickly as he appeared.

For a few moments the surgeon sat shaking. Her mind was either moving too fast to make any sense of reality, or it had stopped completely. Then she remembered her phone was in her jacket pocket, not her purse. Clumsily she took it into her hands, hardly able to hold it still enough to unlock it. Somehow, with unsteady fingers and jerky breaths, she dialed the only number she could think of: Arizona's.

"Callie?"

"Uh… umm. A-Arizona?" Now the tears are falling and her lungs seem to be giving up. Each word is a challenge; it's so hard to think.

"Calliope, where are you? What's wrong?!" Arizona can hear the fear and trepidation in her wife's voice and it instantly sends her into a panic.

"I-I… I need you. I was… please… help me. I'm h-hurt," Callie managed. She shut her eyes tight hoping it'd lull the pain.

"Where are you baby? Tell me. I'll come get you. Just tell me where you are."

"In the alley. Um… across from the apartments." Arizona thought to herself, wondering why Callie was even there, and why Mark wasn't with her. Seconds later she snapped back into action grabbing her keys, coat, and Sofia.

"Okay. Just hang on. I'm on my way. _It's okay_." As she rushed out the apartment she called 911. The operator wasn't pleased with her vague information and the conversation ended with, "Just send a freaking ambulance. And if something happens to my wife I will hunt you down and hurt you," followed by an angry tap to end the call.

"I'm a surgeon. I know what I'm talking about. I don't need you," Callie yelled at a pesky EMT. He was really just trying to assess the damage to her face but she was still on edge and in no mood. Arizona had been talking to a police officer when she heard her wife's signature tone of annoyance. With Sofia propped on her hip she walked over the ambulance to intervene.

"You okay," she asks. A soft hand settles on the brunette's swollen cheek and for a moment she's calm. But just a moment.

"This genius here thinks he can see something I haven't already told him," Callie explains with a look of aggravation. Though she's staring the EMT down, Arizona's eyes haven't left her face.

"Look I'm just doing my job. Just let me put the bandage on, we'll walk over to the ER and-" he was cut off by a firm hand on his chest. Still looking at her wife Arizona signaled for him to shut up.

"Give me that," she said with an open hand. Done with fighting he hands her the bandages and walks away. Callie gives him a few more sassy looks of discontent before turning back to Arizona.

"How about I do it," the blonde offers. She sits Sofia on Callie's lap and grabs some gloves from inside the truck. Gently she disinfects the busted skin, doing her best to swallow her anger as every moment looking at the wounds reminded her of what someone had done to her Calliope.

"I'm so stupid," Callie says to break the short silence. Her eyes have fallen to the top of Sofia's head and the tears are swelling up again. "I should have never gone down there. What was I thinking?"

"Hey, shhhh. You're not stupid Calliope. All have you know many people rush home when they have a super hot wife and the most adorable baby waiting." Arizona's soft words almost earned her a smile. Instead Callie looked up and her brown eyes swirled with terror and anxiety.

"I was so scared Arizona. I thought… I thought I would never see you again. I thought I'd never see So-Sof…" She couldn't finish before the sobs rumbled out. The peds surgeon threw her arms around her girls doing her best to undo what couldn't be undone.

"But you didn't. I'm right here, Sofia's right here, and we're all fine. We're fine okay?" She pulled back and tipped Callie's head up to capture her eyes again. "I love you."

Callie didn't have to reply, her face said it all. Even in a moment like this, after making such a careless decision, she found some peace with knowing that she was married to the most spectacular woman alive. Only Arizona could pull her out of the nightmarish trance she was in just minutes ago. There's no doubt- she couldn't live without her Arizona. Not for one second.

"Now let me fix you up and get you to the hospital okay?" Callie gave a gentle nod and spent the rest of her treatment focusing on Sofia.

When Arizona was done she pulled off her gloves and sat next to her wife and baby. She offered a warm smile and was happy to see it returned by both her girls. She lifted her hand to Callie's bandaged face and ran her thumb just below her bottom lip. The ortho surgeon leaned into the embrace, wishing it was all she felt.

"You're like my knight in shining armor," Callie said once she looked into her wife's dazzling blue eyes, which were full of so much strength.

"Correction. Knight in shining _scrubs_," Arizona chirped. She couldn't suppress her silly dimpled grin when she heard Callie chuckle quietly. She leaned over and kissed her lips ever so softly. "I'll always be there Calliope. Maybe not when you fall… but always to help you get back up. I know you'd do the same for me."

This time the tears that fell from Callie's eyes were ones of happiness. It was true- Arizona had already started pulling her up and putting her back together. And if it ever came to saving her, she'd do the exact same thing. Hopefully she'd never have to.


	10. Whole Again

**Prompt: It's the night/morning before Arizona's first full day back at work as head of Peds. She's nervous and Callie needs reminding as to why she's the best.**

Arizona sits on the edge of the bed rubbing her thigh. She's trying to pretend that the change from flesh to plastic doesn't bother her as her hand moves back and forth. I mean she's _really_ trying. This is the reality of her life now and she has to come to terms with it eventually… and preferably right now, seeing as how she has work in 30 minutes. It's going to be her first official day back and she is a nervous wreck. The term "wreck" isn't used lightly in the case of Arizona Robbins M.D., F.A.C.S. She is sweating all over her favorite blouse, her head is throbbing, and either she's pregnant or her anxiety has shoved her stomach into her throat.

Barring some divine impregnation, it _was_ in-fact the levity of the day making Arizona sick. Her gut was doing back flips and threatening to empty its contents. Never before has she been so unsure about doing her job. Pediatric surgery is her thing. The one thing where no one can rival her skill… well at least no one could before. Surgery is an art of the hands but it takes the whole body. Having a body that no longer felt whole was causing some serious doubt.

_What if I can't make it through rounds? What if I miss a 911? What if I have to quit a surgery because I can_'_t stand anymore? _

The thoughts swirled violently in the blonde's head. Soon the worry diminished her ability to breathe evenly. Shallow, shaky breaths fell from her lips in quick succession. There was a real possibility of her hyperventilating until Callie strolled in casually.

"Hey we're gonna be late if- Zona?" Callie scrunched her brow with confusion at the sight of her frazzled wife. She took a seat next to her and tried unsuccessfully to make their eyes connect. "Sweetie? Baby what's wrong?"

The nervous woman just shook her head slowly. The uncertainty in her heart made it impossible to explain _anything_.

Figuring words were useless, Callie resorted to kneeling in front of her wife. She lifted Arizona's head gently, tearing her eyes away from the prosthetic. She gave a questioning look, asking why her wife was driving herself crazy. She had never lost faith in Arizona's abilities and wanted more than anything for the blonde to feel the same.

"I could lose it Callie. If I can't do surgeries, or rounds, or _anything_ without tiring, I'm finished. No way I can keep my job, my peds ward, my career. I rather not even try. I should resign… resign and take my pension and be… a-a homemaker. I'm cute and blonde. I can-"

"_Arizona_.." Callie interrupted. The endless rant came to a halt and the blonde was forced to suck in a heavy breath. She hadn't even noticed that she wasn't breathing.

"You've put in all the work, invested all your energy into this. You are not going to fail." She offered a warm smile but got a despondent stare in return. "Zona…" she prompted, hoping to hear some words of agreement from her girl. They had talked about this so many times in the last few weeks. It seemed liked they were on the same page about Arizona to getting back to work. This little melt-down was saying otherwise.

"Don't Callie. Don't 'Zona' me because I'm not just freaking out here. It's a very serious, very _real_ possibility that I crash and burn." Both women grimace at the unnerving metaphor. The mere thought of 'crashing' drudged up the dark, dark memories surrounding the accident. "I can't go in there with all this hope and then fail. I can't bounce back from that Calliope. I-I…" Her sentence was stifled by tears. They burned hot, moist trails down her face and her defenses melted away. Callie didn't hesitate to get up and pull Arizona into a tight hug. All the walls she'd put up, broke down, and rebuilt, were falling again. Thank God these walls were weak and rooted in self-doubt, opposed to insurmountable hate like before. Finally they were in a place where Callie could help the love of her life heal.

"Hope is good Arizona. Hope, and joy, and happiness used to be _you_. I just want you to be you again and I don't think that can happen if you stop being a surgeon." Callie leaned back to see how much of what she was saying actually reached the blonde. "You are no Martha Stewarts. You're way too hardcore for that," Callie added lightly. There was no suppressing the grins that swept across both of their faces.

Looking at those dimples stole Callie's breath. Every time Arizona smiled the Latina took it in with vast appreciation. Never again would she take a 'super magic smile' for granted. Not after losing it for so long.

But even as Callie admired it, she saw it fade away. "I'm scared," Arizona sad quietly, sniffling back more tears. "I don't know how to be _normal_ anymore."

For the millionth time since that terrible night, Callie's heart broke into tiny little fragments. _Normal_ was way overrated. All she wanted was her wife back, _screw_ normal. Still, she knew nothing would get better if Arizona wasn't comfortable in her own skin… and her own plastic. So, Callie did the one thing she knew would make her wife remember how perfect she was.

She pulled her into a fierce kiss, so close and needy there was a pleasurable pain. The contact sent a shiver up Arizona's spine and sent her senses ablaze. Her worries about work suddenly seemed less relevant, her only concern being the need for air.

Pulling back she stared into Callie's dark brown eyes, a hint of uncertainty still lingering in her own. "Callie I-"

Again, lips crashed together, because the brunette knows words can't help. Not right now, not for this. After a moment Arizona sheds the inhibition and runs her hands through raven curls, pulling Callie in closer.

This kiss- so vigorous, and passionate, and true- was sorely missed. They had not kissed like this is months. It felt like a lifetime had passed while Arizona recovered, and moments of intimacy had all but vanished.

Right then, in their room, just minutes from work, that last piece of the puzzle fell into place. With their love alive it was easy to see both of them were absolutely whole again.

When Callie finally broke away she left her forehead pressed to Arizona's. "I believe in you. You are exceptional Arizona. Truly exceptional."

And for the first time in a long time Arizona allowed herself to believe that too. "I love you," she whispered. And in return got a sound, "I love you too."


	11. You're Half the Doctor She Is

**Prompt: Arizona's back at work and kicking ass when Callie overhears some dumbass interns talking shit about her wife and how she only has one leg or something like that. She goes off on them. (please!)**

Today is not a good day. Three surgeries, 12 straight hours on her feet, and Calliope is fried. How she managed to make it to the break room is a wonder. It took everything out of her not to fall into an on-call room and pass out. But now that she's made it the coffee that's streaming into her cup is nothing short of divine.

"Thank you God for caffeine," she mumbles before she presses the styrofoam rim to her lips. A strange satisfied groan sounds from her throat as her eyes close. This might be the best cup of coffee ever.

The intimate moment with her drink is interrupted by a noisy flock of interns. Callie turns to face away from them hoping none of them ambush her asking to be on her service. The last thing she needs is a headache to go with her overwhelming exhaustion. Her move works better than she anticipates because the interns all grab seats at the table and go about as if she's not even there. Her plan is to actually not be there as soon as she grabs a cup of coffee for Arizona. If she showed up before her wife's physical therapy without it she might as well kill herself, and save Arizona the trouble.

Once she has the two cups in hand she's ready to make her way out. Just as she starts to turn for the door the distinctive sound of her name perks her interest.

"Can you imagine what Dr. Torres has to deal with," someone asks of the others at the table. There's an indiscernible chorus of answers but that doesn't stop Callie from stalling so she can hear the rest of the conversation.

"Think about it. She's got a kid to raise, the dad's dead, her wife ends up in a plane crash, and turns into a freaking tyrant." Suddenly every intern is chiming in with agreement. Someone else adds, "have you been to peds since she came back? I swear she's like the Grinch. I misplaced a chart and I thought she was going to rip my head off."

At this point Callie hasn't taken too much offense to what everyone is saying. Arizona certainly hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies. Coming to terms with being an amputee was nothing short of hell. At one point Callie thought she'd lost Arizona forever and would never get her back. Somehow they made it through. There's still more physical therapy, and sometimes that nauseating feeling of regret returns, but all in all they've reached the light. It was a dim distant light 6 months ago, but today they're basking in it. Never taking it for granted again.

That's why the next comment from the group caught Callie off guard. "Truthfully I don't know why she even bothered coming back. How is she going to run a peds ward with one leg and a bad attitude?"

Callie's head turned to the side and her eyebrow shot up to a fierce point. Oh no. They-these infants that call themselves doctors- do not get to judge her wife. Her world-class pediatric surgeon of a wife is far too good for that. Just… NO! She turned around and cleared her throat so her presence was known.

The faces at the table went white with fear. One girl might have peed her pants on the spot. "Come again," Callie suggested, her tone dripping with hostility.

When no one spoke she tried again. "You all seem to think Dr. Robbins, your attending and my wife, isn't fit to do her job."

The feeble-minded young doctors try to shake their heads in protest. Maybe if they looked dumbfounded enough Dr. Torres would miraculously forget what they'd said. No such luck.

"You listen. And you listen good," she began in a shiver-inducing growl, taking small steps forward. "The day you can judge, Dr. Robbins, or me, or any other world class surgeon for that matter, is the day you all pull your heads of your asses and learn some respect."

The brunette has a stern finger aimed right at the interns and they certainly fear it as much as they fear what might happen if they so much as cough too hard.

"Dr. Robbins survived a plane crash, spent 6 months learning to live with one leg, and just yesterday got a kid through a 10 hour thoracotomy. She is more than fit to run that peds ward. You fools would be lucky to be half the surgeon she is. Half! Don't ever let me catch you bad-mouthing her again. I swear you'll never see the inside of an OR again."

On the outside the ortho surgeon is glowering but deep down she's smirking at the pure terror beaming from each intern's eyes.

"Now run away before I hurt one of you." Slowly they glance around and wonder how serious she is. A resounding, "Go!" lifts them from their seats and out the room in a flurry. Callie's almost certain someone fell just beyond the door.

"Stupid dumb interns," she mutters as she shakes her head. A few Spanish curses and a heavy sigh later she's walking out the break room with that coffee Arizona will be expecting. Callie picks up the pace a little on her way to blonde's office. Her wife needs her and she's not keen on letting her down.


	12. It's Okay

**Prompt: smut in the OR… (via calzonastories)**

**AN: Sometimes you really need your partner in a way that's hard to explain.**

**I ignored all the technicalities here (ie. unsanitary, unlikely, unprofessional). **

Callie had been standing in the empty OR for about 20 minutes. No words. No movements. Just standing by the table where her patient had died. She knew her approach was risky but she did it. She finished reconstructing the extremely intricate structure of a toddler's pelvis, correcting a potentially fatal open-book fracture suffered in a car accident. Even though her part was a success the girl's heart gave out against Teddy and Arizona's greatest efforts. She was Sofia's age and had eerily similar hair. The loss was particularly disheartening.

Unable to find her wife anywhere else, Arizona finally figured she'd check the OR. She walked in on a still frozen ortho surgeon. "Hey… You okay?" She could hear the word 'yeah' catch in Callie's throat as it became smothered in teary emotion. "I know. Peds is tough sometimes."

"How? How do you lose babies everyday and live with yourself after?"

"Well…" Arizona started hesitantly. She stepped in front of Callie and slipped two hands around her waist. "I have the most amazing wife and a beautiful baby girl, so I know I'm blessed even when this job feels like a curse." She nodded her head as she spoke hoping to comfort her wife.

Callie gave a feeble smile before dipping her lips to kiss Arizona. And though they were in the OR, at work, and super busy, she couldn't help how needy it was. She couldn't help how deeply they kissed, and how passionately she held on to the nape of Arizona's neck.

Losing a kid was tougher for Callie and Arizona knew that. She could feel it.

She felt like they should be more discrete but wanted her Calliope to feel loved, and desired, and happy. Anything other than sad and incompetent. She could feel the Latina press into her body and let those deft hands fall where they shouldn't be.

"Calliope…" she whispered, nervous about where they were headed in the OR of all places.

"Please," Callie moaned. And though her tone was husky the blonde could hear the desperation that lingered in the voice. Somehow the sound broke her heart and summoned her arousal all at once.

Arizona gave in for the sake of her wife's sanity. She turned them around and firmly pushed Callie against the table. Without much more thought she moved her hand past Callie's waistband and in between her legs. By then they were unbelievably close, hot breaths mingling in the sensual tension between them.

"Shit," Callie gasped as two very familiar fingers slid inside. Her legs buckled some and her core went tight. Arizona pressed impossibly closer to brace them both. Their foreheads were touching while their lips hovered only centimeters apart.

Arizona took on a strong and deliberate pace, hooking her fingers with each thrust. Callie could feel the heat in her core surge through her entire body. The feel of Arizona was electrifying… like the rest of the world didn't matter. Her touch was more than deep inside; it was everywhere setting fire to Callie's body with every pulse.

As her walls tightened around Arizona's fingers her breath got raged and heart thumped furiously. The blonde captured her lips in a heated kiss until she knew Callie was there, crashing over the edge of ecstasy. The brunette moaned uncontrollably into Arizona's mouth. Her whole body was consumed with the pleasure only her wife could create. A few minutes ago her heart was heavy with grief, and now it threatened to leap from her chest with delight. She clutched the table in order to stay grounded as a skillful thumb circled her throbbing bundle of nerves, drawing out the moment for all it was worth.

Tiny shivers rattled up Callie's spine until her breath evened out, and she came down from the high. Arizona remained close; their features just barely touching. A soft hand stroked the Latina's cheek lovingly.

"I love you," Arizona whispered.

Quietly Callie replied,"I love you…. Thank you."


	13. I Do's and I Dont's

**Prompt: How about we give the girls an obstacle, when someone objects at their wedding. hm how about a protest?**

**AN: This was not the day Callie planned from the very beginning. But she'll be damned if it doesn't end with Arizona being her wife.**

"We are all here today to celebrate love and happiness and loyalty, and in my opinion, a little bit of magic." Bailey's words put smiles on every face present. A rush of emotion took over both Callie and Arizona. After the horrible day they'd had, somehow they made it here. They were getting married.

When asked, Arizona said without hesitation, and love burning in her chest, "I take you, Calliope Torres to be my wife."

"I choose you to be the one with whom I spend my life," Calliope uttered, simply unable to stop herself from smiling at her gorgeous bride.

Then all that was left was for Bailey to ask if anyone objected. In hind sight she probably could have skipped that part seeing as how the day hadn't gone so well.

Sure enough, when Bailey asked, a familiar voice rang out in protest.

"_Mom_?" Callie gasped upon hearing her mother's shout. "What are you… what?" She could hardly process it all. Her mom had left, called her marriage a joke, her wedding a game, and disrespected her on a very emotional level. Why the hell was she here?

"Calliope I can't let you make this mistake. I love you too much to let you damn yourself to hell." Lucia Torres stood at the end of the aisle with tears in her eyes. She was determined to save her baby girl. "No! You can't get married. Not like this. Not to _her_!"

The look of surprise had left Callie and been replaced with fiery rage. How dare her mother demean her, and put her down, then have the audacity to show up and try to ruin her wedding.

For a quick second she glanced over at Arizona to see her eyeing the ground with shame and hurt in her eyes. This was not the way she wanted to see her bride on their wedding day. Quickly she returned her focus to her mother. The Colonel was already on his feet, geared up to defend _his_ daughter, when Callie step in front of him. She walked directly to her mom until they stood eye to eye. She saw her father coming from a few blocks away but wasn't waiting for anyone to fix this problem. This was _her_ mom, _her_ life, and she was going to protect _her_ family.

"Mom… You have no idea who God is or who I am. If you did you wouldn't be here trying to hurt the woman that _I love_." She paused to take a breath and hinder the tears. "_I love her,_ mom. More than anything or anyone. She's Sofia's mother, she's my partner, and she's my _whole life_. You don't get to say if that's right or wrong. You shouldn't even want to. You are suppose to support me, help me, _love_ me."

Lucia glanced around. A feeling of great shame and embarrassment filled her gut. She wasn't so sure what she was fighting for anymore. Was she trying to hurt her baby girl?

"Don't you see mami. All God is concerned with is if you love him, and yourself, and your neighbor. He isn't looking for a saint, he's looking for a believer, and I believe in Him _and_ I love my wife."

Though it wasn't official but the word 'wife' got Callie all choked up again, but this time with joy.

"So there will be no more objections! I _will_ get married and live my life with Arizona, with or without your blessing. But right now, you need to either sit down and shut up, or get the hell away from here!" She finished with a scornful tone that she ironically inherited from her mother.

Lucia backed away slowly, now feeling completely ignorant. She had no idea why she'd even come. Before she could escape Carlos was behind her. He placed a gentle hand on the small of her back and ushered her to a seat. There she sat quietly wondering how she had been so blind. Callie took a sigh of relief and turned back to the altar to see her girl beaming again. Those piercing blue eyes and sweet dimples did everything to make her feel better again. She walked back to Arizona, took her hands in her own, and finished their vows.

"I love you," and "I love you."

"I now pronounce you bride and bride!"


	14. Disney World

**Prompt: "Hi! New Anon… Callie wants to take Sofia to Disney World and Arizona reacts to the possible future flight"**

**AN: The idea of flying almost sends Arizona into a rapid downward spiral… ****_almost._**

"Hey no running!" Callie yelled after her over-zealous 1st grader. Sofia bolted through the door and was making a beeline for the her mami.

"Sorry, sorry. But loook mami. Look!" She waved a seemingly plain piece of paper up at Callie until her mami grabbed it away.

"What's this," she asked as she straightened it out. She began reading but paused to kiss her wife.

"Hurryyyyy," Sofia urged impatiently. She had climbed onto a bar stool by then and was standing eye to eye with her moms. Arizona had already seen so she just smiled as Calliope finished figuring it out.

"What the!? Sofia Robbin, you got an A in every single class this quarter? Mija, that's awesome!" She lifted her girl right off the stool and spun her around until their giggles left them breathless and dizzy. Arizona came closer and placed her arms around both of them so they had a mommies-and-Sofia sandwich. The little girl thought it a perfect time to make a small request.

"So does this mean we can go to Disney World for summer break?" Her smile was so big it threatened to touch her ears. How could anyone say no to that?

But almost instantly Callie's face fell to a concerned gaze. She saw the immediate panic that flooded Arizona's eyes at the mention of traveling. The silent conversation the mother's had left an antsy Sofia waiting, her smile slowly fading too.

"Ummm… I don't know about Disney World mija. Maybe somewhere closer. Like Disney Land, hm?"

Sofia's disappointment was unparalleled and simply heartbreaking; and it only shown in her eyes at this point. "But… I did really good in school._Pleaseeeee_." She switched her gaze to Arizona who had stepped back and was now eyeing the counter top. Sofia couldn't tell but her momma's chest was tight and her eyes were fighting back tears. Callie shifted some so their baby girl couldn't see. She proposed a few other places they could drive to but nothing did the trick.

"Nevermind…" Sofia sighed as she squirmed out of Callie's hug, much to her mami's dismay. She meandered over to her room and started on her homework in silence. Every muscle in her body drooped with defeat.

_Shit- _Callie thought.

Her super awesome little girl just got her dreams crushed and her wife was about to have a panic attack. This day was going south fast! She placed a light hand on Arizona's shoulder that surprisingly caused the blonde to jump.

"Hey, woah… it's okay baby. I know, we don't have to go. No one's asking you to fly."

Now it was Arizona's turn to frown. "But someone is. Sofia wants to go on vacation and I'm to messed up to take my daughter to Disney World." Arizona huffed in frustration and dropped her forehead into her palms.

"Ari_zona_!" Callie said her wife's name with an astonished inflection. It had been a pleasantly _long_ time since she'd heard her talk down herself like that. "You are not 'messed up'. You're a survivor. And if you ask me that makes you a-"

"Ha," Arizona laughed sinisterly. Her face had gone completely void of emotion. Callie knew far too well were her mind was going. If left unchecked, Arizona could slip into a dark place that even Callie couldn't reach. "Calliope, don't try to make excuses for me. I didn't survive… I just… didn't die."

The despondent tone and hardened stare scared Callie almost. This was eerily similar to the hellish moments she fought through right after the amputation. A panic came over her features because she couldn't wage another heartbreaking war.

"You think you just _didn't_ _die_? Like you didn't…" Callie paused her hushed questioning to swallow a lump in her throat. The mere idea of what Arizona was saying was sickening. "…you didn't want to live. You weren't fighting… For me and for Sofia?" The tears that dripped down Callie's cheeks were not unfamiliar. Many of tear had fallen in the wake of Arizona's disaster and subsequent depression. Yet, these tears were hot with sorrow unlike any other.

If Arizona simply lived, then had she given up? Had she lost her love for her family? Did her wife and baby mean nothing once the struggle mounted to an impossible peak?

_No_! Arizona's stance softened considerably when she heard Callie's voice crack. She looked up to see those tears and her heart felt that overwhelming guilt she knew too well. Again she had brought sorrow to her wife's eyes. The same eyes she only wanted to see full of joy and love. She didn't mean what she said. She had fought every second in the woods to stay awake and stay alive. The _only_ thing that mattered while she sat amongst the wreckage, was her family. Sofia and Callie had got her through an entire week of dancing with death.

"No. No, I didn't mean…" Arizona spoke gently as she reached out for Callie's hand. She moved back into her wife so they were pressed together, and tilted her head up to see stormy brown eyes. "I would never stop fighting for you and our girl. You two…" the words caught on the emotion that flooded back into her chest. "You two are more important than life itself. It was you and Sofia that saved me. Knowing you were waiting for me, kept me alive."

Now the two women cried together and tight smiles of empathy were mirrored between them. Callie cupped Arizona's face and kissed her with a fiery passion that had always underlined their love for one another. Arizona pulled the brunette in by the hips, deepening the kiss, and embracing the warmth they shared. It was a relief to know that they'd made it to a place where Callie could save her whenever the darkness crept in. So long as they never stopped being honest and open with each other they'd never hit rock bottom again.

"I love you," Callie proclaimed when they pulled apart. She watched as Arizona took a deep breath, her eyes closed, and her cheek pressed into Callie's palm. "Stop scarring me like that," she added with a light chuckle.

Arizona smiled sweetly at the change in mood. "Sorry. The whole PTSD thing flares up sometimes. Must be the weather."

To this they both laughed and let their jovial noise bury the acidity of the moment. And when the laughter died down Arizona contemplatively chewed the inside of her lip. "What about Ms. Sofia? She's crushed."

Callie saw the guilt return to Arizona over denying Sofia her trip. For a moment she felt bad too, until the solution came to her in a stroke of brilliance.

"Oh my god, duh! We don't have to fly; we can take a train!"

"A _train_," Arizona echoed, her eyebrows perked with confusion. "That'd be a couple of _days_ in a metal box full of germs and crappy food." The unimpressed mom scrunched her nose with disapproval.

"But Sofia would love it! _And_… They have private cars. We could get two and have one to ourselves." Callie's voice lowered to a sensual rasp and her eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

"Ohhh. _Calliope_…" Arizona purred as she picked up the innuendo. "Maybe a train could be fun."

"Oh yeah, real fun," Callie husked. She pinched her wife's ass playfully, eliciting the cutest of squeals. And after snagging another kiss, that lingered quite a while, she forced herself not to devour the blonde in the middle of the kitchen. Instead she redirected their attention back to their gloomy little girl.

"You wanna tell Sof?"

"Oh, right. Family vacation," Arizona remembered with a naughty giggle. "Sof!" she yelled passed her wife's smiling face. "We can go Disney World if you don't mind riding a magical train."

Sofia appeared in the kitchen at the speed of light with a look of wonderment on her eyes. "A magic train! Really? We can?!" Her wide eyes shot back and forth between her mommies who were still pressed together.

"Mmm hmmm," Arizona hummed nonchalantly. Sofia simply exploded into a whirl-wind of excitement, tearing through the house screaming at the top of her lungs, "BEST SUMMER EVER!"


	15. Tame The Bear

**Prompt: Can you write something about Arizona hearing about Callie's response ("you're poking a bear…") to the new intern's attempt at flirting with her wife?**

**AN: Arizona Robbins stakes her claim!**

Jo and Tina stood outside the intern's lounge laughing at all their little intern problems. After being at SGMW for half a year they were finally getting comfortable with their roles. Sometimes that comfort left them with their guards down. Jo didn't bother to check her surroundings before recounting her experience with lesbian smooth talking.

"I actually went for it. Totally said 'you have beautiful eyes and a great smile'." Both women laughed grandly at the thought.

"No you didn't! You're not even a _little_ gay, Jo," Tina replied through her laughter.

"I know, I know! Dr. Torres totally called me out on it too. She said um… I think… that I was '_poking a bear_'." Jo accentuated her words with air quotes.

"Oh my god! That's hilarious."

"Wait… but the best part is that she said it was a '_very horny _bear'." They let out another roar of laughter before strolling away casually to actually do some work.

Arizona watched as they left and pondered what had been said; she had heard it all. Beyond being weirded out by Jo's gay-for-surgery act, she was curious about this 'horny bear'. Instead of rechecking her charts she casually made her way up to ortho.

Xxx

The peds surgeon reached the 3rd floor and found her wife scolding some intern for… well, _being an intern_. She sashayed over, unconsciously adding an extra sway to her hips.

Once Callie noticed, her eyebrows shot up and a mischievous smirk spread across her face. "Really you should come up here more often," she suggested playfully.

"Oh really?" Arizona pretended to engage in deep thought as she pooched her lips and gazed up to the ceiling. "Maybe so I can tame that very _horny_ bear?"

Callie's face got hot red with surprise and embarrassment. That wasn't a conversation she imagined her wife hearing about but she knew which one was being referenced. "Uh… see the whole bear thing… well…" Callie stammered on trying to think of a way to politely say '_no sex with my hot wife turns me into a sex crazed animal_'. Luckily she didn't have to.

Arizona stepped closer and leaned in to put her lips by Callie's ear. Her warm breath sent chills down the brunette's spine and halted the muttering. "Next time tell your intern that this is _my bear_ and I'm the only one who'll be doing any poking."

A naughty look came over Calliope as dirty images ran through her mind. When Arizona leaned back she wore a deceivingly innocent smile. "See you at home?" she chirped cheerily, her voice elevated from husky back to perky.

Callie cocked a brow at how coy her wife was being; the dimpled smile and batting eyelashes we crazy adorable and a bit of a turn on. "Yes Dr. Robbins. Your bear will be home around 8." The blonde nodded and stole a kiss before strutting away, satisfied with her ploy. Little did her wife know, she had a lot of _poking_ planned for the night.


	16. Tame The Bear Pt2

**Prompt: "How about you write us some "poking" *wink wink*.. Yes this is me asking for a smutty continuation of "Taming the bear". I think it would be fun! please? :)"**

**AN: Arizona was waiting for Calliope, and that very horny bear, when her wife got home.**

Callie cocked a brow at how coy her wife was being; the dimpled smile and batting eyelashes were crazy adorable and a bit of a turn on. "Yes Dr. Robbins. Your bear will be home around 8." The blonde nodded and stole a kiss before strutting away, satisfied with her ploy. Little did her wife know, she had a lot of poking planned for the night.

Xxx

When Callie gets in the apartment is eerily quiet. The only light is from the dim bedside lamp in her room. Sofia is surely sleep because it's far too calm for a 1 year old to be awake. Slowly she sheds her leather jacket and dumps her keys on a table.

"Zo," she calls out in a loud whisper. She leans her head into the door first and is floored by the scene. Arizona is a lacy thong and a skimpy tank top shy of being nude. There's an overwhelming amount of exposed skin. Every inch of it's dreamy, porcelain, and seemingly edible.

Arizona looks up from her book as if nothing's out of the ordinary. "Hey pretty lady. How was the rest of your day?"

Callie does what she can to swallow the lump in her throat so she can say something. The intent is to be suave, but she fumbles with her words. "It was.. I um.. It doesn't matter," she decided as she grabbed at the hem of her shirt.

"Hey hey hey. Come here, let me," Arizona insisted. She put the book down and sat up on her knees by the edge of the bed. Ever so slowly she peeled off Callie's top and helped her shimmy out of her skin-tight jeans. She hooks a finger inside the waist of dainty panties, unsatisfied with the already miraculous view. She wanted more.

Callie makes her way onto the bed until they both fall back onto the sheets. Lascivious heat fills the air around them and that heady scent of arousal brings every restraint tumbling down. Needy, bruising kisses keep them constantly connected and Arizona finishes removing everything that's between her hands and Callie's body. When she's done she drags her nails down the Latina's chest, between her breast, and over her abdomen.

Callie takes in a shallow breath as the pain turns to pleasure and then into pure delight. Her core tightens in anticipation of whatever is to come. She cannot help the deep moans that rumble from her mouth as Arizona's tongue soothes the tender skin. The blonde stops her movement when she gets just below Callie's naval. She resorts to light, open mouthed kisses.

The moist feel of Arizona's mouth so close to her sex makes Callie buck her hips, seeking some type of relief. She's rewarded with a soft hand gliding up her thigh until two mischievous fingers are teasing her entrance.

A raspy sound, somewhere between a whimper and a moan, slinks from Callie's lips. Already she's close and her whole body aches with desire. And that desire is fed by the presence of Arizona's mouth firmly wrapped around her clit.

"Shit," she breathes out. The fervid lust storming through Callie's body is unhinged when she's in Arizona's mouth. Quick flicks of that tongue send shocking surges of pleasure down her body, and straight to her core.

Arizona doesn't so much as stop for a breath as she feels Callie tugging on her hair. She presses in harder, almost painfully, but not quite. She dips her tongue inside her wife's opening and hums pleasantly at the taste. The heated flow of liquid arousal seeps into her mouth as she twirls her tongue skillfully.

Shaky thighs close around that blonde-haired head between Callie's legs when two deft digits replace the oral ministrations. She screams out Arizona's name only to receive a hand over her mouth- Sofia's still sleeping.

As her wife thrusts in an out, all the while teasing her clit, her moans sound off as muffled growls. Her breathing is heavy and ragged as she climbs to a blissful peak, then goes hurling over into ecstasy.

When her body's done quivering every muscle goes limp from exhaustion. Arizona sucks each finger clean, seriously turned on by the taste of Calliope. She lays down next to her and pulls the covers over them both. It's second nature the way their fingers intertwine and their legs tangle together.

"How's my bear doing?"

Callie put on a dopey smile, still panting away. She turned to look at Arizona and got a little lost in pools of dazzling blue. Once she overcame the momentary trance she answer quietly. "This bear is seriously and madly in love you."

Arizona was happy with having gotten her point across- _Her_ bear, _her_ Calliope. "I love you too."


	17. Why We Vote

**Prompt: "how about Callie and Arizona go out and vote? to celebrate today? although I don't have a plot" (btw, none needed!)**

**AN: Arizona and Callie had to take a sleepy Sofia with them on election day.**

"Could you please get her to stop crying," some asshole yells from the non-yet-registered line. Callie dismissed his rude reference to Sofia with a roll of her eyes. Arizona was not so forgiving.

"_Hey_! You shut it pal. She's been up since 5 so we could vote before work. So she's cranky. Deal with it!"

The man shot a look of disgust but closed his mouth all the same. Callie smiled with amusement as she rocked Sofia slowly. The little girl was undoubtedly upset with these early hours.

"I know mija. It's way too early for you to be out in the cold with all these mean people. El es tonto, yo se. Sh sh sh, esta bien."

Arizona got her frustration in check and turned back to her girls. "Here I'll take her," she said as she scooped Sofia up and rested that tiny head against her chest. She swayed back and forth as she always did when no one else could get Sofia to sleep. She spoke to her in a soft voice to ease her fretful mood.

"Momma would have slept in with you but this is very important baby. See one day me and mami are going to tell you all about our wedding and how great it was. But that's not the day that people respect. _It should be_… but it isn't."

Callie had been distracted by the slow moving line until she caught on to what Arizona was saying.

"We won't be legally married until the state of Washington says so. And you can bet your cute butt that that's not happening if Romney is president."

Callie grinned lovingly at the serious talk Arizona was having with Sofia as she drifted off to sleep.

"So… We're here, with grumpy ol' you and a full day of work ahead of us because this matters a whole lot, okay?"

"It sure does," Callie added before kissing her wife's temple. She smoothed some stray hairs out of Sofia's face and took some time to take it all in. She had a wife and a baby and a job. Her life was practically perfect.

And both women were up at the crack dawn today because they weren't letting the chance go by to actively request that the law respect what they had. Their love was as legitimate as any other, and they were voting to make that known.

A whole 15 hours later they watched proudly from their couch as it was announced- them, their baby girl, their family- was as real in the state of Washington as it had always been in their hearts.


	18. Be Nice

**Prompts: "Jealous Arizona , she's back at work(after the crash) and one of her interns are hitting on Callie right in front of her!" and "arizona gets jealous when callie gets an intern who wont stop following her around and flirting with her"**

**AN: Callie really hopes her new intern can run fast… she'll need it!**

It's a busy day in the hospital again because the new interns are only a few weeks in. With their staggering inexperience things tend to go wrong more and more often. Somehow, Callie has found a moment to wonder up to peds.

"Hey babe. _Howww's it goiiiing_," she asked playfully. Her eyes glanced over Arizona's scrub-clad form, delighted with the view.

Her wife didn't have much free time though. She scribbled something into a chart and clicked her pen close with a huff. "I _hate_ new interns. I had a kid on warfarin and they freaking put her on antibiotics. She almost _died_," Arizona complained as she rubbed her temples in frustration. Callie side stepped to stand behind her and grabbed her shoulders firmly. As she pressed her thumbs into the meaty spot below Arizona's neck she elicited a delighted moan.

"Uh, God! The things you do to me Dr. Torres." she let her head fall back and her eyes flutter close. If Callie didn't stop she was going to be sleep soon. Luckily the brunette had other plans.

"This is nothing compared to my plans for later Dr. Robbins." Her words were silky, low, and tantalizingly reminiscent of sweet nothing's whispered in the dead of night. As the sound filled Arizona's mind with some choice images, Callie continued on with her hands. Those hands were nothing short of godly. Oh the things those hands could do…

Then it stopped.

The feeling lingered for a second after Callie released her hold to take a chart from her intern. When Arizona realized the contact had ceased her eyes shot open and confusion fell over her features. She spun around with a knit brow and a pout. Her disappointment only grew when she saw the attractive intern eye-balling her wife.

"I know these aren't needed for today but I thought I'd get it to you early Dr. Torres." Callie smiled at the woman politely in between her reading.

"Thank you Dr. Watson. Really, great job." She shut the charts and gave another big smile to her intern. And though her gaze was friendly Arizona noticed the glint of desire in Watson's eyes. She cleared her throat to remind everyone of her presence.

"Oh! Oh my God. Dr. Watson- this is my wife Dr. Robbins."

The peds surgeon extended a hand and clarified her status as Chief of Pediatric Surgery… you know, just to be clear.

"And this is my new intern Maria Watson," Callie finished.

The shake they shared was awkward and tense as they sized each other up. The fake smiles and narrowed eyes were indicative of some silent head butting. Arizona was not above asserting claim to her super hot, and perpetually pursued, wife.

"Well… you can cover rounds then Dr. Watson," Callie offered in attempts to tame the eye-war going on in front her. Maria looked away from Arizona and gave one of her most charming smiles.

"Of course Dr. Torres. It'd be my pleasure… Really." Her voice was hedging on sensual and her flirty eyes didn't do much to hide it.

"Good to hear. I'll see you for the post-op on my pile-up victim." Maria sauntered away with the intent of giving a good show- much to Arizona's chagrin.

"That's interesting…" the blonde pondered out-loud.

Callie looked over to see an unimpressed glare on Arizona's face. She laughed to herself before stealing a chaste kiss.

"You're jealous face… Simply adorable." The glare quickly turned into a frown. She wasn't admitting to any such jealously.

"That face is pretty cute too!"

Xxx

"Shhh," Callie urges. Her hands were skillfully undressing Arizona in the midst of their heated kissing and it was earning her some loud moaning. _A little too loud_.

"Have I mentioned how hot you are?"

"Yes. But I'm not opposed to hearing it again."

"You… Are really h-"

Knocking at the door cuts Arizona's teasing short.

"Dr. Torres. I have that research information you asked for."

"Wow," Callie said in response to her intern, who was shouting through the door. She was relatively impressed, and surprised enough stop her ministrations.

"Seriously," Arizona whined at the loss of contact (for the second time that day).

"Be nice. She's working her butt off to impress me."

Arizona scoffed in amusement. "She's working her butt alright."

"Just give me one sec… Then we'll continue this consult Dr. Robbins," Callie purred into her wife's ear.

Unfortunately plans changed once she stepped out and got word that her intern had identified a super cutting edge method for her surgery that afternoon. It was something she couldn't really pass up.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed to Arizona before hurrying away.

The appalled peds surgeon threw her hands up in dismay. "Are you kidding me?!"

Xxx

"So I was wondering of you had any time for some one-on-one demonstrations of femoral artery grafting. I'd love to see you do it up close," Maria complimented Callie. She was sitting awfully close to her attending in the research lab- especially with a certain fed-up blonde working across the room.

"Yeah. We can schedule something…." Callie answered hesitantly. She quirked a brow at the suggestive looks the intern was flashing because it was overtly inappropriate.

Dr. Watson continued smiling until she noticed something stuck in Callie's hair. "Oh. You have something… Just…. There, got it." Maria reached out and removed the bit of fuzz with an excruciatingly light touch. All her attending could do was stare blankly. Callie's throat closed up and her palm got sweaty. Not because she was turned on but because she knew there was no way Arizona didn't see that.

When Callie snapped out of it she rushed Maria away before she felt the wrath that was Arizona Robbins. "Go! Go re-do rounds and double-check 204's vitals. Go go go!" Confused as ever Maria scurried away into the hall. When Callie turned around Arizona was already standing right behind her.

"_That girl_, is obsessed with you. And she doesn't do much to hide it." The blondes arms were firmly folded and her eyes certainly revealed her annoyance.

"Okay, before you beat her to a pulp, just let me talk to her. No need to feel threatened."

"Ha! She couldn't do half the things I'm capable of Calliope. _Totally_ not threatened." Arizona's eyes took on a mischievous glow when she saw her wife's reaction to her words. The brunette's mouth went dry at the mere thought of Arizona '_doing'_ stuff. It was agreed upon that the intern would be talked to, then both women went their separate ways.

Xxx

One very happy ortho surgeon waited just outside the hospital for her wife. Sofia was with Meredith and Derrick for a sleepover with Zola. That meant an empty house and lots, and lots of sex.

When Arizona walked out the doors she walked right past Callie until those strong hands whipped her around.

"Oh, hey," she giggles as she's pulled into that familiar embrace. "You ready to go home?"

Callie just nods before treating herself to those perfectly soft lips. "Mmmm, very ready," she hummed once they pulled apart. Just as they turned to leave a winded voice calls out for Dr. Torres.

Both women turn back to see Dr. Watson jogging their way. Immediately Arizona rolls her eyes because she's had enough of this chick for a lifetime. She better not even think of being on the peds service… _ever_.

"I was wondering if you could just help me with the bone density scans super quick before you leave. I know we only talked about it briefly earlier but…"

Callie slumped her shoulders and sighed. She had promised to work on that stuff with Maria, but had forgotten in her rush to go home. She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she prepared to explain to Arizona, but was preceded by her wife's voice.

"Yep, I'm done," Arizona proclaimed. She took a few steps towards Maria and folded her arms in a stern stance. "You are the intern. You get Dr. Torres' attention _inside_ the hospital. _Me_… I'm the wife. I get Calliope's attention everywhere! I also pull rank, and I say you have used all you Dr. Torres time for today. So get," Arizona ordered with a nod of head back towards the entrance.

"But I-"

"Ah ba ba ba. No buts! Now go before I start thinking about how much I hate when people _flirt with my wife_."

Standing off to the side Callie nodded her head furiously in agreement, encouraging Maria to flee. The intern got the hint and sped away once more.

Arizona let out a relieved and satisfied breath before heading back towards Callie and their home.

"Really… that jealous face is crazy adorable," the brunette said as she took Arizona's hand in her own.

"Mehh. I can think of a better faces. Some I much rather be making." The husky pitch in her voice put an extra pep in their walk as they practically raced home. No intern could ever compare to way they drove each other crazy.


	19. My Mom Taught Me How To Walk

**Drabble: Sofia is usually mild tempered but doesn't take well to people bad-mouthing her momma.**

**AN: Wrote this for my Calzona blog and thought I bring it here. There's fan art to go with it :)**

Most days are like this. 13 year old Sofia sits at a small table in the back of the cafeteria. Alone. Reading books her peers would never touch. They say she's too smart. They say she's a freak. They say an awful lot of things, but Sofia Robbin is not rattled. She's stronger than the teasing.

"Hey gay-mo. You gay yet? You know that's contagious right?" They snicker and jest at her expense. Sofia does not falter. It's just stupidity at its finest.

"Loser! Are those books your only friends?" She sighs because there's some truth there. But these imbeciles could never measure up to her advanced intelligence. Books will do just fine!

"Is their a ring master at your house. Two moms, one's a freak-show with one leg, it's a circus over there!" Okay, now… _that_ is far too much! Gay jokes are one thing, but her momma is a sensitive subject.

_"My mom is not a freak-show. She runs, and walks, and saves lives with __**one leg**__! She taught me how to walk with __**one leg**__! She does more with one leg than your parents do with four! Don't you __**ever**__ say that again." _

Shocked, shamed, and embarrassed, they walk away. As they disperse she mutters, _"Todas putas tontas." _She gets that Latina temper from Callie.


	20. Baby Steps

**Prompt: "Arizona walks for the first time alone at the same time as Sofia… like Arizona starts walking in the hospital and Sofia sees her and walks to her with everyone to see/cry." **

**AN: Small steps often time mean the most. Today they mean everything…**

**I changed it a bit but it's still effing adorable!**

"I'm so sorry," Callie insisted as she walked into physical therapy with Sofia. "She's running a fever and daycare wouldn't keep her so she's with us today." She sported a pitifully apologetic smile- if you'd call it that at all.

Arizona just grinned at her flushed baby girl. Sofia was laying against Callie's shoulder while she was perched on her hip. She was obviously worn out and tired.

"I'd love to have Miss Sofia here with momma. Isn't that right baby boo?" Arizona's sweet voice got the girl to smile a bit before Callie sat her down on the floor atop her favorite blanky. She laid out some entertaining toys and kissed the baby's temple.

"Sit here and be good mija. We'll be done soon."

Today was the day Arizona was hoping to walk completely on her own. She'd gone from using rails, to crutches, to canes, and was ready to fly solo. She had long past her point of ultimate frustration and wanted so badly to be independent again.

Alex flew through the doors as she got her most recent prosthetic on. "Hey, sorry I'm late. Bernard really is a pain in my a- ow!" Callie pinched his arm and gestured towards Sofia.

"_Language_!"

"What's she doing here anyway?"

"Day care wont take her," Arizona answered quickly before standing up. "Now let's all focus here. Eyes on the prize."

Everyone went silent and watched. The air in the room was sober and tense, as if Arizona might shatter into a million pieces any second. And maybe it was the atmosphere because she was frozen. For five minutes or more she just stood with her hands out wide for balance. Her heart was palpitating at an alarming speed and she had this overwhelming fear. Every other step in her recovery had been leading to this. Failure wasn't an option and that was a daunting realization.

Callie looked at Moore and saw how concerned he was. Often times amputee victims have more mental barriers than physical ones. If Arizona wasn't psychologically ready to walk his work would cease and she'd be sent to a shrink.

_That_ was not an option.

"Here, take my hand." Arizona came out of her daze at the sound of her wife's loving voice. She looked down but hesitated to accept the help.

"Please, I have you. Just trust me."

Arizona took a deep breath and grabbed on to Callie. And one slow, shuffled, step at a time, they inched their way away from the bars. A smile began to form in the corner of Arizona's lips and her confidence rose.

Without thinking, Callie let go and watched as her wife continued taking steps forward. A mutual sigh of relief came from every doctor in the room. They all smiled triumphantly because this was a big deal for so many reasons.

No one took notice of the interested little baby on the floor. Sofia had been watching too as her momma took her first steps. Unsure of her own feet and abilities she decided to give it a try.

She crawled over to Arizona in the midst of some distracting conversation and pulled herself up with the prosthetic leg. It wasn't until she giggled at the small success that anyone noticed. She let go of her momma and teetered a bit before getting her balance.

"Oh my God Sof. What are you doing," Callie asked as she leaned down to pick the baby up.

"No wait," Arizona interrupted. She took Sofia's hand and turned to stand by her side. "You wanna do it with me? We can do it together, kay?"

Just as slowly as Callie had led her, Arizona led Sofia through the room until neither of them needed any help. The proud momma just watched, tears swelling in her eyes, as the toddler went trotting towards the mirror in front of them. She melted at the joyful look on her baby's face as she reached her reflection and patted the mirror playfully.

"You did it big girl," Callie sang as she walked over to get her baby. She picked her up and bounced her festively. "You walked all by yourself."

Arizona took a few more uneven steps towards her favorite ladies and took Callie's hand back. They ended up staring into each other's eyes, unsure of how they got back to being so incredibly happy.

"Hey you both took your first steps," Karev declared from his place by Dr. Moore. Even he wore a goofy half-smirk upon seeing the endearing moment, but wouldn't let his tears fall.

"Yeah, we did," Arizona said, rubbing her thumb over Sofia's cheek. The little girl just smiled again, more than pleased with having her momma's attention.

"I have the most amazing girls anyone could ask for." Callie leaned over and kissed her wife with all the pride and admiration she felt beating in her heart. She laid another kiss on her daughter's cheek and watched her grin under her momma's gaze. This little moment was telling of what had brought them so far. Out of the darkness they had come, and it was by way of baby steps. Slowly they had worked to get back to being a family based in love. Now here they were, at the end of their journey, _still_ taking baby steps.

But as far as anyone was concerned, baby steps would do just fine.


	21. Clear

**Prompt: Wanna tease you just with one word- heartbeat. Spread your fantasy ;)**

As a surgeon it is easy to cheat death. If someone is dying, organs rotting, toxins spreading through their body, life is hanging on by a thread. What do surgeons do? They look death in the face and say "no"; they shock the heart with the proverbial warning "clear". They scream it actually. Loud, bold, frank, and quite insulting to some degree. They replace the organs, filter the blood, cut, open, stitch and close. It's an art and yet it is primitive at it's core. Something wrong? Cut it out, throw it away, get rid of it at any cost.

Death doesn't take kindly to these antics. Sometimes it strikes back, reaching out and claiming a life that matters more than any other. Death is vengeful, angry, unforgiving. Arizona Robbins knows all too well.

It seems second nature to save the life of a tiny human. She knows the procedure, has memorized their anatomy, and her skill is simply unparalleled. Peds is something she's mastered. No one can ever deny that.

But it comes at a cost. The death of her only brother, the man who taught her to be brave and kind. Everyday his absence in her life makes it hard to smile. Luckily she has Calliope, who will always be a source of strength and happiness.

Then there was Nick. The only man she's ever loved outside of her father and brother. He was there when she lost Timothy and promised to always be strong enough to help them both. But now he's gone too, another promise broken.

The list doesn't end there. How badly Arizona wishes it did. Her daughter's father died in a plane crash, Sofia will never know him. Arizona never knew her own grandfather because he died serving his country. So many important people lost to that darkness. It's a chilling realization when she recounts it all. Sometimes she gets these panic attacks, falls back into the moments of being stranded in the woods. Her body is numb, her mind is blank, and yet… somehow she's overrun with a pain that threatens to choke her. She can't breathe.

Then Callie wraps her arms around the smaller women, taking in her pain as her own. That tender touch is enough to calm the most haunted soul, and it does. It frees Arizona from her worry and anxiety if only for a moment. The blonde turns into the body that matches her's so well, and breathes in the intoxicating scent of her wife. Their embrace is warm, perfect, infinite almost… hopefully.

"I got you okay… I'm right here if you need anything?" Callie says softly, doing her best to soothe Arizona, and lead her back to the present and out of her nightmare.

Arizona shakes her head quietly. All she needed was the contact. All she wanted was to feel alive and safe, and both are possible in the brunette's arms. "I just need you…. Just… Let's stay like this. I can hear your heartbeat." The blonde traces the scar on Callie's chest idly, glad that death did not make it away with her greatest love of all.

Callie pressed her nose into golden locks and smiled sweetly. "Beats for you. My heart will always beat for you, Arizona. Always."


	22. It's Not You, It's The Flu

**Prompt: Callie finds out Arizona is getting sick after denying/not enjoying some sexy times. So, she takes care of her :)**

**AN: Nausea trumps libido every time!**

Callie always get's this high when her and Arizona are together. When they connect physically it's beyond the scope of words. So their lustful kissing has her heart beating unimaginably fast, and her core tightening relentlessly.

"I missed you," she moans into a kiss, pressing herself closer to Arizona, who's backed against the door.

The peds surgeon has been gone all week for a surgical conference in Chicago, and has been missed immensely. Callie's hands slip under her shirt and yank it off, then glide over her exposed back and down to her ass. She giggles at the frantic moves, finding a needy Calliope to be very attractive.

And needy is bit of an understatement, because Callie swiftly undoes Arizona's zipper and dips her hand past her panties and through her folds. She teases at her wife's clit while they deepen their kiss, enjoying the intermingling of their tongues.

Even in the heated moment Arizona has to turn her head away. She scrunches her face in discomfort, confused as to what's happening. She has this unsettling feeling in her stomach, and it's not the sexy one she's used to whenever Calliope's touching her.

Callie is ignorant to the change in pace and moves her mouth to Arizona's neck, rolling her tongue over every perfect freckle. By now she's usually getting some reaction. A moan, or some grabbing, or… something. Her wife's kind of listless though. She's not even breathing hard. Callie is practically offended that her moves are having no affect.

"Is this okay for you," she asks nervously, pulling her hand from Arizona's jeans. She's taken aback by the pale look on her wife's face. "I haven't gotten this crappy of a reaction since…_ever_," she declared sassily.

"No no, I'm fine. I just…" Arizona tries to explain but has to stop. She can feel it. That terrible presence of bile exactly weren't it shouldn't be. She cups her mouth urgently and runs to the garbage can.

"Really? That bad?" Callie says to herself, still musing that it was her who caused the problem. When Arizona is done vomiting and slumps to the floor, Callie gets over herself and goes to her aid.

"Crap Arizona, you okay? What's wrong, are you sick?" The brunette kneels in front of her wife who now has her head hanging between her bent knees.

"It's not you Callie. I think…. Ugh, actually I _am_ sick," Arizona explains with a shake of her head. She knew it was coming, some stupid lady was germing up the whole place in her last presentation. Sneezing, hacking, touching stuff. It was awful!

"Come on. Let's get you in bed." Callie readies herself then lifts Arizona off the ground like a groom a carries his bride.

"You don't have to ca-"

"Shhhh. You're now the patient and have no say so over you're treatment. Comprendes?" Arizona smacks her lips as if she's not keen to the idea of being doctored on. But when Callie looks away a warm smile comes on and she snuggles into Callie's hold on her. As long as it's Dr. Torres, she'd be sick her whole life.

Callie spends the afternoon cooking 'super special feel better' soup, rubbing Arizona's feet, and cleaning up the piles of tissue that keep forming by the bed.

By the end of the night Arizona is noticeably worse and the cold is really beating her down. "Calliope," she groans from under the covers in attempts to summon her wife. In no time Callie's by her side, gently peeling back the bedding to see what's wrong.

"I'm sorry," Arizona mumbles before sniffling some more. "I ruined our moment earlier and now I'm probably going to get you sick."

Callie sighs and stares at her girl lovingly. She pushes the covers back all the way and climbs underneath, effectively spooning her ill wife.

"_Nooo_… you'll get sick too. Leave me, save yourself."

The Latina just wraps her arms around Arizona and kisses the nape of her neck. "So I get sick…"

**Inspired by the pox episode**


	23. Life Lessons For A Big Sister

**Prompt: "Sofia gets mad with one of her mothers and run away from their house"**

**AN: AU, Sofia used to be an only child but when things change her momma has to help her understand.**

**Hope you guys like this AU with Brooke. I plan on using it often :) Enjoy!**

"Brooke. _Broookee_, wake up," Sofia insists to her baby sister, who's fast asleep in her crib. She has very important information regarding her quest for a puppy, and feels Brooke should hear about it.

With a few more calls she rouses the 11 month old, who cries out in never-ending frustration. Quickly both mothers make their way to the nursery and are not pleased with what they find.

"_Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres_," Callie calls with a Spanish roll on every consonant. The little girl shrinks into a stance of pitiful fear as she remains standing on a stool next to the crib. Callie goes and picks her up while Arizona gets Brooke.

"We just got Brooke to sleep, mija. You know better than to come wake her."  
Sofia pouts at her stern talking-to, wishing she was somewhere else.  
"I can't do nothing ever," she whines, much to Callie's dismay. With a new baby she really wants for her oldest to be a good example and she's trying to instill some sense of responsibly.

"Look mija, if you're bored come get me or momma. But you can't wake your baby sister. She's little and needs to sleep, okay?"

The dark haired girl frowned dramatically. "That's dumb," she huffed.

"Hey now," Callie stood her on the floor. "You don't call your sister dumb. That's not being a very good sister." Both moms waited for an apology but Sofia just stood with her arms folded and a glowering expression.

"Wow, okay. I think someone needs some quiet time," Arizona suggested. To that Sofia stomped her foot and turned away from her mothers. She was a sassy miniature-Calliope in deed.

"Little lady you are not doing yourself any favors. Let's go! 15 minutes of quiet time in our room." Callie grabbed her child up and walked her to the master. She sat her on the bed and told her she was on time out. The only thing Sofia's allowed to have is pen and paper, so she can write and apology if she wants.

Less than a quarter hour later Callie peeks into the room and is unsure as to where her baby girl has gone. Usually Sofia doesn't skirt her punishments.

"Hey babe, did you come get Sofia," Callie shouts down the hall.

"Nope. Maybe she's back in her room." The Latina takes the suggestion, but doesn't find Sofia there either. A flicker of worry fills her as she calls for her girl and gets no response.

"Sofia… this isn't funny mija! Sofia!?" She's now resorted to a hide-and-seek style search, looking under furniture and inside tight nooks. The apartment is simply too small for Sofia to be anywhere Callie hasn't checked.  
"Zo… she's gone. Sofia's not here!" Arizona is nursing and can't do more than gasp. Her eyes go wide to match Calliope's. For a moment there was a blank fear they shared, unsure of what to do next.

The ringing phone pulled them out of it and Callie ran to the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hi Mrs. Torres, it's Jessie from downstairs. Sofia just came knocking on the door. My mom said to call and ask if you knew she was down here."

A heavy breath rushes from Callie's chest. She has to grab her heart because it is pounding so fast it hurts.

"Thank you Jessie. I didn't know actually. God." She places her hand over the mouth of the phone and hollers the news to Arizona before saying more. "Okay, I'll be there in a sec."

Callie popped back into the nursery to find Arizona laying Brooke back into her crib. "I'm gonna go get her," she explains with a thumb pointed towards the door.

"No wait… I'll go," Arizona said, a thoughtful dimple popping out as she pooched her lips. "I think I know what's wrong." Callie had no complaints and sent her wife on her way with a kiss.

Xxx

"Hi Mrs. Robbins. She's in the play room." Arizona walked past the 17 year old who usually watched Sofia when her and Callie were busy, and made her way to the play room. She craned her head around the door and saw her oldest contently reading a book.

"I didn't tell her I called you all," Jessie whispered before leaving the mom to do her thing.

"Hey there baby boo. Whatcha up to?"

"I'm not a baby! I'm a big girl," Sofia growled, pouting at the fact that she hadn't escaped her moms completely.

"Right, sorry…. It's just momma thought big girls were supposed to be good. Running away isn't good Sofia. Something bad could have happened."

The idea of danger didn't sit well with Sof, her face turning to a sad frown. "I just wanted to tell Brooke about getting a puppy. But she sleeps all day."

"It's because she's little. You used to sleep like that too."

"But now I have to do homework, and chores, and be a big sister. Why doesn't Brooke have to do _anything_?"

And there it was. Just as Arizona expected, Sofia was acting out because she was having a hard time getting used to having a sister. She didn't fully understand why her and Brooke were treated differently.

"I see… hmmm. Come here," Arizona started, pulling her little girl onto her lap. "I had a big brother once. Your uncle Tim was the greatest. He used to help watch after me, and protect me from bullies, and make me laugh. He was… awesome." The mention of Tim threatens to bring tears, but Arizona fights them back with a calming breath.

"But grandma didn't treat us the same. When I was little she treated me like a baby and treated Tim like a big boy. I needed all the help I could get until I was a big girl too. But you know what?"

When her momma paused Sofia turned and looked up at her and shook her head 'no'.

"I wouldn't have learned a lot stuff if Tim didn't help me. He taught me how to brush my teeth, tie my shoes, throw a ball… all kinds of stuff. And being a big sister is cool because you can do that for Brooke too."

"Really," Sofia asked, a hint of cheer in her voice.

"Yep. _But_… a good _big_ sister has to be a _big_ girl."

"But _I am_," Sofia insisted. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. Seriously, people seemed to never understand her status as a big kid.

"Oh really? Well then you'll promise to help me and mami with Brooke, do all your chores, and be a good girl?"

Sofia nodded her head passionately, ready to put her antics in the past.

"Alrighty then." Arizona grabbed the child's face in her hands. "Let's go home boo." She placed a kiss on Sof's forehead and grabbed her tiny hand to leave. "One other thing Sof," she added as they walked.

"Yeah momma?"

"Don't tell mami, but we're getting a puppy for Christmas."


	24. I Trusted You

**Can you write about 9x23 where robbins is in the on call room with lauren and callie finds out about it? (No smut on arizona and lauren) its like a prompt for the next episode. Its up to you how it goes (: **

The roaring storm rattled against the window of the locked on-call room. The lightning sent flashes of white into the dark space, setting light to the perfect storm of betrayal within. A hazy sleep kept Arizona in the small bed she shouldn't have been in. The form next to her was not her arm wrapped lazily around her waist was not Calliope's. The unsettling regret weighing on her chest was suffocating. The only thing that yanked her back to reality was the heavy pounding at the door. How long had she been there?

xxxxx

"Where the hell is Arizona," Callie thought out loud. She knew her rock star wife had spent most of the day with the facial cleft encephalocele case but had expected to hear from her hours ago. With the storm moving in early and Sofia having to stay in daycare all night, Callie was feeling inexplicably uneasy.

She texted Arizona on her way up to peds in case her wife was looking for her too.

_Hey I think we should keep Sof at the daycare, the storm is really close. Where are you?_

The head of peds was not in her office. Nor was she in the cafeteria, the ER, or in ortho looking for Callie. In fact she was no where. Or at least no where Callie could think to look. She resorted to having her paged and even that didn't work.

Soon Callie was full-on panicking. When Arizona was nervous she snuck onto the rough and smoked sometimes. What if she got blown away? What if some psycho came into the hospital with a gun, _again_, and secretly had some hostages caged up in the basement? Callie's mind was going places only a Grey Sloan surgeon's mind would go.

"Hey," Alex said sharply as he grabbed Callie's shoulder from behind, causing the Latina to jump. "Jeez I was just gonna ask you if you've seen Robbins."

Callie calmed herself for a beat then frowned. Why hadn't Alex seen Arizona either? "I ummm...I haven't. You haven't?"

"If I had I wouldn't be asking you."

Callie rolled her eyes unamusedly and simply walked away. She was on her way to look for Arizona on the roof when she ran into Bailey.

"Torres! You need to go talk to daycare and fill out paperwork if your baby's gonna stay over night."

"Shoot! Okay thanks Bailey." Callie changed directions for the daycare but stopped and hollered back for Miranda, "Oh! If you see my wife can you tell her I'm worried sick." Bailey nodded accordingly and the women both went in separate directions.

About 30 minutes, and a very confusing conversation later, Callie had worked everything out with the daycare and was plopped down on the uncomfortable cot in the attending's lounge. She was exhausted and almost forgot her wife was missing. And when someone ran in and said Meredith Grey was going into early labor she sighed a sigh of relief. She figured Arizona was probably in the OR with Grey being awesome as she would rather have her wife with her she figured she might as well get some sleep since the blonde would be useless after such a long day. No need in them both being as grumpy and their daughter was going to be after a night without her blanky.

xxx

"Callie," Cristina whispered loudly. She shook her old roommate a few times and tried to wake her. Though it was 8 in the morning the sky was still dark as night, the storm clouds masking the rising sun. The stiff little bed didn't afford Callie much sleep so she was clinging to every second of slumber. Somehow even her pager didn't wake her. "Callie wake up. You're being paged."

"Hu...hmm...I'm up," she mumbled as she jerked out of her sleep and tried to figure out why she wasn't in her bed. "Um...where am I?"

"We all stayed here because of the storm and Meredith's baby. But you're being paged, the pit is flooded. Pardon the pun."

"Oh Meredith's baby. Where's Arizona, did everything go okay?" Callie had forgotten all about her search for Arizona and thinking she'd gone to help Mer.

"_Arizona_? I'm not sure where she is. We all figured she'd gone home since she wasn't answering pages all night, and she wasn't here with you."

Callie felt her stomach drop. All the things she'd feared before came rushing back into her mind. Where the hell was Arizona? Suddenly she felt physically sick.

"You okay there Torres? You look like hell..."

"Yeah thanks," Callie grunted before darting up and rushing out the room.

"You're welcome," Cristina said over her shoulder to the fleeting surgeon.

xxx

Rushing through the halls, a very flustered Latina ignored just about everyone who tried to stop her. She knew she was needed in the ER but finding her wife was far more important at this point. The only person she took the time to talk to was Avery. He was calling her from the nurses' station and was surely going to ask about what surgeries she could take. Callie never gave him the opportunity though.

"When's the last time you saw Arizona. I think...I don't know, but I'm worried." The unnerving fret in Callie's stormy brown eyes did not go unnoticed by Jackson. In fact he knew something must be wrong.

He thought for a moment because it had been a hectic night. Everyone's whereabouts were hard to weed through in his mind. Eventually he remembered seeing Arizona walk Lauren to an on-call room. "I think she was up in peds with Boswell, showing her where the on-call was."

Nodding her head quickly Callie hurried to the elevator determined to find her wife. When the doors opened on the third floor she beelined for the nurses' station. "Has anyone seen my wife since last night."

It got very silent all of the sudden. The nurses exchanged slanted glances, not daring to look Callie in the eye. A few ducked their heads behind computer screens while others simply walked away with armfuls of charts. The trepidation Callie was harnessing quickly grew into suspicious anger. "Someone here better tell me where the _hell _Dr. Robbins is!"

With a shaky hand and doe eyes, one of the nurses pointed to the nearest on-call door. At first Callie couldn't understand why that was so hard. What was the big deal if Arizona had crashed in the on-call after two long...but...then she remembered. Arizona hadn't done two long surgeries. She'd disappeared, apparently with Dr. Boswell, after just one.

Callie turned and looked at the door. It seemed normal. Bleached wood like all the rest. Closed like most. She wondered, "_is it locked_."At first is was just a thought, but then it became an audible question. "_Is it locked?!_"

To this every nearby nurse nodded their head 'yes'.

Yes.

It's locked.

Callie has been worried sick all night. Taking care of their daughter. Trying to sleep without the only woman she's ever truly loved. And the door is _locked_.

The Latina is stuck. She wants to move. She thinks it'd be best if she sat down, but her feet won't work. She's yelling at them in her head, demanding for her body to function, but it won't. It can't.

Her lungs get tight and it becomes unbearably difficult to breathe. All she can think is how hards it's been. How many days she slept in Mark's bed. The terrible dreams she had. The tears she hid from Sofia, and the ones she couldn't hide from Alex, and Derrick, and Owen. She blamed herself for everything they struggled through. Mark dying, Arizona losing her leg, even their complete lack of a love life.

She felt so god damned guilty. And what did she get for all the patience and tears and waiting?

_A locked door. _

A crippling sadness made Callie's knees shake furiously, her heart ached with betrayal, her mind went dark with emptiness. Arizona was her wife. Her love. Her heart. And she was in the on-call with a woman she barely knew.

_And the door was...or was it?_

Finally she moved. With angry, uneven steps, Callie stormed to the door and grabbed the handle.

..._locked._

Maybe if it had opened she would have thought herself stupid. How could she even think her partner would cheat. But it wasn't open so she shook it. At first just to test the tumbler because maybe it was jammed. But then she knew someone had turned the lock and each time she was denied it made her angrier.

She pushed harder, and harder, and harder. The clanging of the door against the frame sounded a lot like the thunder had taken hold of peds. It drowned out the din of the hospital. It scared more people than the two women so scandalously shacked up behind it. The strength of each pull made the floors shake, and each push made the ceilings quiver.

"Arizona! Arizona!" Now Callie was yelling and crying. She could hardly see through the hot tears burning her eyes. "Ar...Ari..._zona_..." she stammered. The taste of her name was now sour. The thought of someone else with her lover was killing Callie right there in the middle of the peds ward.

She could hear hushed voices and movement so she stopped beating the door. She waited nervously, still not ready for it to be true. Honestly she rathered that Arizona never came out and that this was all a terrible dream. Unfortunately, after a minute or so, a very disheveled blonde emerged. It was funny how she had Arizona's blue eyes but none of the sparkle that usually glimmered in them. There was no super magic smile or a warm disposition. The woman Callie saw was only the shell she lived with for months after the crash, except this time it wasn't a life threatening accident that stole Arizona from her, it was Arizona who chose to steal herself away.

For an eternal moment they stared into a void neither dared to step into. How does one fall head first into the darkest end? There Callie was, heartbroken again, with a dangerous desire to hurt someone the way she felt she had been hurt. And standing across from her, in all her shattered shame, was a woman who once called herself a 'good man in a storm', but now dropped her gaze to the ground to avoid the ruined eyes of the wife she promised to love.

Arizona's bottom lip trembled as the words dared to come out. She begged herself to say something but nothing made sense. She didn't know who she was as she danced on the precipice of losing everything.

"I...want to yell at you." It was almost a whisper but it made it from Callie's lips to Arizona's ear.

"Calliope..."

"No!" Sharp and acidic, Callie did not want her excuses, or explanations, or lies. "Do not Calliope me. You cannot Calliope your way around this."

The fuming brunette's eyes raced over the form in front of her trying to recognize her wife. Trying to see the love that she once saw. All she found was George, the husband that cheated on her. All she saw was the woman who left her in an airport the same way she was left in a parking lot. All there was, was the same humiliation that tore her down every time she let someone in. Except this hurt was so much worse since she had committed her life, and her family, and everything she had.

"_I forgave you_. I forgave you for Africa and leaving me. I forgave you for blaming me when I saved your life. I never blamed you for the car crash, I never questioned you being Sofia's mom, I waited months for you to love me again. You _are my wife _and we took_ vows._ But here I am again. I'm the fool _again_!"

Arizona wanted to move her eyes away from Callie's but she owed her that much- to look her in the eyes even though she was screaming.

"I trusted you with my heart and you treated it like _shit_. I don't get it. Am I some joke? Or am just that easy to forget?"

"I-I don't know _what _I was thinking Callie. I just...I don't know. But I love you..."

Callie scoffed at the audacity of the phrase. "Love" was not something she believed in as of 20 minutes ago. "Love" was a sad veil for the fucked up life people actually have to deal with. "I used to believe in love. But Arizona, I swear to you I don't anymore...Is she in there?" Suddenly, Callie remembered it took two to tango and she'd be damned if Dr. Boswell left her hospital with the face she came in with.

"Please tell me she's not in there," Callie demanded behind a sinister laugh. The way Arizona froze and tried to pull the door closed answered Callie's question all the same. "Move!"

"Calliope..." the smaller woman whimpered, not sure if she should bother trying to stop her.

"Say Calliope one more time and _I swear_..." she balled her fist and tried desperately to control herself. Instead of waiting for permission the Latina muscled past Arizona and didn't have to go far to find Lauren in the middle of the room pulling on her scrub bottoms.

"I know you want to kill me," Dr. Boswell said softly, her hands raised in defense.

Callie only closed the space between them faster, forcing Lauren to back peddle until she ran into the wall and had nowhere to go. "And what's to stop me?" Callie shot back with a dangerously pointed brow. "I own this hospital, I generally don't know you, and find cheating to be conniving and _repulsive_."

"I don't know..." and that scared the shit out of Lauren. She figured she was about to have a facial reconstruction.

Instead Callie gathered every bit of will she had and let her hand come crashing down against the wall, just inches from Lauren's face. Water gathered in her eyes but she refused to let it fall. She was too angry to cry even though she felt so hopeless and small. Once again the air got thick and she couldn't breathe. She rushed back into the hallway much to Lauren's relief. A few paces past the door she stopped and stood, gulping breaths for dear life. Arizona waited behind her, unsure of what to do.

She figured she should say something. "I didn't mean to hurt you Callie."

And as sincere as she meant it, all her wife heard was lies. Her bitter ire quickly returned, she spun around and could hardly stand to look at Arizona. She happened to glance down and saw the matching necklace now awkwardly hanging around the blonde's neck. It once stood for something but now it seemed like a cruel joke. Without really thinking she snatched it off. The next thing she knew, it was in her hand and Arizona was clutching the spot where it once adorned her upper chest.

"Don't come home," is all Callie could say. She turned around and headed for the stairs. Before she left the hall she dropped her hand over the trash can and let the silver heart fall into. It plummeted to the bottom right along with the broken heart in her chest.


	25. Searching and Promises

**Prompts: "Following a meeting with the lawyers Arizona asks Callie about finding out about the crash, the days in between and the rescue. It's another step towards reconciliation between the two." AND "Callie's side of things before the plane was finally found"**

**AN: There are two sides to every story, but neither is easy to bear…**

**I wrote this in literally twenty minutes, it just fell out of my brain. It's emotional but I hope you like it.**

**(updated AN: I just realized [6.14.13] that this is probably on of the best pieces I've ever written. Sorry about the self-brag)**

* * *

The crowd of doctors and lawyers file from the conference room in dead silence. Never before has so much about the crash been discussed, analyzed, rehashed. Tears fell on numerous occasions because the picture the victims painted was so complete once they spoke as one. Not one person could fight the feeling of sickness and fear that engulfed the room as Derek, Meredith, Cristina, and Arizona spoke. The memory was shared as more than a story, but a tangible experience, capable of hurting people who were never stranded at all.

While every department head was in attendance, along with hospitals executives and lawyers, and the charter company's council, no one was more distraught sitting amongst them than Callie and Owen. They were the two who had the greatest burden when news came that their wives were gone. They had also felt the greatest pain upon getting their wives back. Their lives were as intertwined with the victims' as could be, and hearing about the crash made them both physically ill.

As Arizona made it out the door she stepped to the side to wait for Callie. She had noticed the grief and despondency in her wife's face as she talked about those terrible nights amongst the wreckage. The tears that trailed down the Latina's face were familiar and heavy to her alone, Arizona still didn't know what things were like in Seattle while everyone was missing. Somehow with all the drama, the amputation, and losing Mark, her and Callie never talked about the other side of it. They never so much as hinted on what Callie did for six days. Six days with no Mark. Six days with no Arizona. Six days with a fussy Sofia, a shattered heart, and no hope.

"Hey," Arizona says softly as the ortho surgeon finally emerges from the room. She offers a weak smile and steps closer to the blonde. Arizona grabs her hand tightly, and stares at her necklace. She can't quite handle the look in Callie's eyes. "I'm uh…I'm pretty hungry. You wanna grab something to eat with me?"

There's a need to take a big breath before Callie agrees. She walks alongside Arizona silently as they head to the cafeteria. Her mind is racing but she isn't keen on talking about it. The best decision she's made since the crash was to swallow her burden and deal with it alone. She hasn't been able to unload any of it on Arizona, because…well, she just wasn't strong enough.

After getting their food Arizona looks around the cafeteria and doesn't like how crowded it is. She cranes her head up over Callie's shoulder and says next to her ear, "let's just eat my office."

Still more-or-less in a daze Callie nods and takes her wife's tray as they leave. In the office Callie leans against the window seal and picks at a bowl of fruit. Arizona sits at her desk and pushes her lunch around too. Clearly neither has an appetite after speaking with the lawyers, so Arizona figures _'why wait'_.

"Well that was morbid," she says with a dry laugh that's meant to be chipper.

Callie just nods her head slowly, her eyes trained on her food, her mind a million miles away. Arizona can tell they're not in the same room anymore.

"Can you tell me?" she asks. When Callie looks up, Arizona catches warm brown eyes for a second before looking away. "You know what happened to us and I just figured…you don't have to if it's too much."

Now Callie is attentive. She sees how her wife is fidgeting, tapping her toe and biting her lip. Every glimpse of those sweet blue eyes lets her know what Arizona's asking, and she never expected such a request.

"You _want_ to know," she asks tenuously, not quite believing the blonde's strength is all there.

"Maybe I need to know." Finally Arizona looks up and doesn't waver from Callie's gaze. She's serious as can be.

xxx

_It was around um…11 I think. Maybe 12, when I just knew. Thirty minutes is a normal delay, an hour is a stretch, but you were two hours late. I just knew._

_Owen called and he could hardly talk. I've never seen him cry but I could hear it. I could feel it through the phone it hurt so bad. And I'm listening to him but they're empty words. Crash. Lost. Survivors. Dead. It didn't mean anything because I was there, in our bed waiting and you not coming home wasn't real. It didn't seem real. I hung up and suddenly felt stuck. I mean I was anchored to the bed, in freakin lingerie. FOR YOU!_

She doesn't mean to, but Callie yells almost. She'd forgotten how manic she was that first night.

_And…I don't know. I guess eventually I got up. I did something, but I might as well have been blind. I don't really remember seeing anything, hearing anything, or talking to anyone. I just found myself at the hospital with the police and Owen. I was a mess, he was a mess. It was…a mess._

_They told us to give it twelve hours and it was 'sure'. The were so damn 'sure'. 'It's a locator', they said. 'They'll be found in no more than 12 hours'._

_Well those twelve came and went. Bailey still had Sofia so I was here alone mostly. I don't know why I was in your office. Maybe…maybe because it feels like you and I thought…_

Callie is running out of air. She's in the same place she spent the better part of 6 days waiting. It's all happening again and her chest is closing up, her mind shutting down just as it did the first time. Arizona stands up and takes a few steps towards her but she puts her hand up in protest.

_We- I waited for another 137 hours. The first day I called my dad crying. He came out, he got us a chopper, we spent a days worth of sunlight looking on our own. He called people in the coast guard, he called friends in local governments, I mean Carlos made a lot of calls and I've never seen him turn up so fruitless. 'It's okay mija'. That's what he told me, but I thought, if he can't then no one can. It'd been 47 hours and I was hopeless…totally hopeless._

This time Callie paused and Arizona came to her completely and pushed her hand into Callie's. Their fingers locked together instinctively, and she leaned in, placing her nose tip-to-tip with the brunette's. She could see Callie's tear run down the valley of her nose and hated it as much as she hated the rest.

_I called your parents the next morning, and they came to get Sofia from Bailey. I um…I couldn't really take care of her. I felt bad because they were so positive. You're mom, Arizona she is so strong. She refused to think she'd lost you too. But I wasn't…_

And now Callie's sobbing. She's ashamed of her lack of faith, lack of strength, and her inability to believe. She let herself get so crushed she couldn't even take care of Sofia and that was the greatest low of all.

_I wound up trying to just…pretend. I was washing your clothes, making coffee for two, recording your TV shows. I was out of my mind without you. I think I did that for almost three days, until it'd been 131 hours._

_The search and rescue kept saying they were close, they'd found this or that. I think I told 100 different people to go screw themselves, and hundred more that I'd literally come hunt them down. I went from hollow to furious in one fell swoop._

Callie looks up and sees how worried Arizona is for her. She hopes that this wasn't too much. To recant both sides of the story all at once could be a big trigger for them both.

_But finally they found you. That call was so scary for me because at first I thought you'd be coming home in a body bag._

Callie closes her eye, trying not to see the nightmare she'd seen every night Arizona was gone.

_Then they said you were alive._

Callie brushes her fingers over her wife's cheek and settles her hand on her neck, lightly playing with this soft blonde hairs.

_I can't remember being so happy before in my life. I think I fell to my knees, I prayed, I just…I couldn't believe how sure I was that you were gone only to have you back. I wanted to come get you but Bailey made me stay. For Sofia. I was at the airport though. When you got home you were still under but me and Sofia were there. I think she knew you weren't okay, she seemed really upset. I was too._

_You looked so battered and bruised and I just wanted to help you, save you, and I couldn't. I was going crazy because I couldn't do anything, and I'm your wife, I'm supposed to save you._

Arizona still had no words. She knew all the agony she'd battled in the woods, but now her wife's agony was there too. She dropped her head into the nook between Callie's neck and collar bone.

_At least I got you back. Mark seemed to be at death's door, Lexie was dead. At least I had you. Had the chance to make up for losing you. After you got back to SG I wouldn't let anyone touch you. Owen wasn't really in the place to stop me, nor would it have mattered. I was determined to fix you, make this all go away. I didn't do so hot with that though._

Xxx

Callie swallowed the lump in her throat and there was silence. Everyday they danced around the topic of Arizona's leg. Only on occasion had they come to really discuss it, half of those times being dramatic outbursts where they just couldn't keep avoiding it. So, Callie talking about how badly she wanted to save it, felt a little taboo, but certainly refreshing.

"I shouldn't have asked you to," Arizona mumbles into Callie's skin. The Latina sighs softly, a bit amazed at what she hears. Never has Arizona mentioned 'the promise'.

"I blamed myself anyway," Callie answered. Her hand was still curled around the nape of Arizona's neck and she let her fingers rub away the stiffening stress.

"But I shouldn't have blamed you. You went through so much too, and I put it all on you Calliope. I made it worse."

"No. You came home. You fought to stay alive and I love you for that, for surviving for me. Nothing else matters Arizona." Callie pressed her nose into the shorter woman's hair and breathed in her presence. It was a miracle she was in her arms at all.

"I'm still sorry." Regretful tears dripped down onto Callie's lab coat as Arizona admitted to being less than the wife her partner deserved.

"And I still love you," Callie said solidly. She leaned her head back and guided Arizona's up by her chin. "We will always be stuck with this, you in the woods me trying to find you. But that's okay, because we're here now, and we will always find each other."

"Promise," Arizona asks with a gentle smile and tear stained dimples.

"That's a promise I can keep."

**AN2: (Sorry but not sorry for my OUAT reference)**


End file.
